Running Out of Rain

by Lori Leger

  “Not without a little goading. Turns out Zach had known who’d attacked Cat for years. Just after she left town for college, he and a buddy of his attended a rodeo in Jennings. They ended up sitting two rows above a group of drunks causing all kinds of trouble. When security showed up to escort the idiots out, Zach’s friend pointed out the ring leader, Stanley. He said he’d seen the jerk in a bar around LSU after the Tiger Bowl ended. He said Stanley had been bragging about what he’d done after slipping a roofie in a girl’s Coke. Zach put two and two together.”

  Cynthia settled into one of four wooden Adirondack chairs on the deck. “Now I understand the tie in to roofies and your reluctance to try Robin’s cooking.”

  “Right.”

  “I’m assuming Zach didn’t turn him in, because of his promise to Cat, right?”

  “Right. But he did something any man would have done for the woman he loves in a situation like that. He went to the same bar and watched for Stanley. Sure enough, he showed, and Zach saw him slip something into a girl’s drink. When the girl stepped out to get some fresh air, Stanley followed her. Zach caught him trying to force her behind the bar. He beat the hell out of him and brought the girl back inside to her friends. She was almost completely out of it by then.”

  Cyn pulled herself upright. “Well, it was a good start. Not nearly what he deserved, though.”

  “Without getting into too much detail, he found himself with one other equally deserving opportunity to kick Stanley’s ass.” He shook his head slowly. “As a father, I should probably regret my son hospitalizing a man on two separate occasions. But I can’t—not when I know what he did to so many young girls.”

  Cyn reached for his hand, pulled him down to her level to do one of many things he’d missed over the years. He closed his eyes, moaning in pleasure as she tunneled her fingers through his hair. Hair with a hell of a lot more silver in it since Beth had last done that. She ran her thumbs gently over the outside corners of his eyes, both creased and wrinkled from too much sun and the passing of time. Cyn didn’t seem to mind either of these signs of aging. Sometimes he had to wonder what the hell this woman saw in him.

  “If he’d hospitalized a real man, maybe you could have regrets. But the boy capable of doing all the things you’ve described … well, he’s no man. He’s an animal with no regard for another human life. I’d say Zach should have a clear conscience and so should you. You raised a fine young man, and anyone can see how much he adores his wife.”

  He reached out, slid the back of his hand gently down the side of her face, her fair skin already turning pink in the summer heat. “You think so? I’m well aware a lot of people think we’re all kind of back woods crazy here in Louisiana with our gun ownership rights and all, even though the great majority of us only use them for hunting deer, ducks, and geese.”

  “That’s not true.”

  He cocked his head. “It’s not?”

  She leaned up to kiss him on the mouth. “No. They think all people in Louisiana live in the swamps and eat gators every day.” She pointed to the grill. “As a matter of fact, I’m expecting you to grill me up a mess of tiny little baby alligators like Adam Sandler did in—”

  John cut her off with his roar of laughter. “Don’t tell me you’re a fan of WaterBoy.”

  “Oh come on! You mean you’re not? Bobby Boucher was a wonderful character.”

  “It’s ridiculous.”

  “Well, sure! It’s supposed to be ridiculous. But wasn’t Kathy Bates funny as hell? Foos-ball is the devil!”

  He busted out laughing then played along, asking when Ben Franklin invented e-lec-tri-ci-ty.”

  She countered with the proclamation that Ben Franklin was the devil.

  He kept it rolling by lifting his glass of water to examine it, then proclaimed it to be some “… high quality H2O.”She pointed at him, grinning. “I bet you can’t tell me why alligators are ornery.”

  He surprised her with his comeback. “It’s because they’ve got all those teeth and no toothbrush.”

  She chuckled as she poked playfully at his chest with her forefinger. “I’ve seen it dozens of times over the years because of Ty and his friends. For somebody who didn’t like it, you sure know a lot of lines.”

  He straightened and cleared his throat. “I said it was ridiculous. I didn’t say it wasn’t funny as hell.” He slapped her lightly on the thigh. “It’s too damn hot for you out here. Let’s go inside and get those steaks ready for grilling. They’ve been marinating since last night.”

  He helped her up and followed her to the house, his gaze glued to the graceful swing of her hips.

  “You’d better not be looking at my butt, John Michael.”

  “I wasn’t,” he countered immediately with a lie.

  She turned, the corners of her mouth pulled down in a frown. “Aw… Really?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, I kind of was. I couldn’t help myself.”

  She smiled, placed both hands over her heart. “Why, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  He burst into laughter. “I clearly have some work to do.”

  She batted her eyelashes. “Like what kind of work?”

  “Like giving you some better compliments.”

  “Ask your dad. I’m sure he could help you come up with a suitable list.”

  “No doubt.” He wrapped his arms around her, relishing the closeness. “It feels good, you being here, Cyn.”

  She rested her face on his broad chest. “I’m more comfortable with every visit.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.” He kissed her forehead before leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her mouth. “We’ll get there, Cyn. I promise.”

  She reached up to thread the fingers of both hands through his hair and smiled. “There’s not a doubt in my mind. We have time.”

  The skies opened up the next Sunday, thanks to the latest tropical disturbance making its way in from the Gulf of Mexico. Dark clouds and rolling thunder accompanied what promised to be an all-day affair of rainfall. Cynthia placed a plate of assorted cheese, crackers, and olives onto the tray and reached into the cabinet for wine glasses. She smiled at the feel of two strong arms encircling her waist.

  “Hey beautiful, can I do anything to help?”

  She cocked her head as he leaned in to place a soft series of kisses on her neck. “Mmm … suddenly I’m feeling very appreciative of rainy afternoons.” His low growl had her shivering as a slow, sweet heat started in the pit of her belly and spread lower. Amazing how the slightest touch from this man turned her into a quivering mass of give-me-more.

  She turned in his arms for a soul melting kiss. If only her mom had planned to spend the night with her younger brother and his family in Lafayette. She’d tried to convince her to do that, but Bess had insisted on sleeping in her own bed. Knowing her Mom, that meant being home no later than five o’clock, or as soon as the weather broke so she could make the forty minute drive home.

  Cynthia looped her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. “You can open the wine for me, unless you’d prefer a beer. I think there are a couple of bottles left in the fridge.” She kissed his chin, which showed a little more stubble today than she was used to seeing on him. She’d convinced him to come over without shaving so she could judge which look he wore better. She had to admit, the silver tinged five o’clock shadow was a good look for him. But then again, so was a nice, clean shave. She sighed, drawn equally to two versions of the same man, and she didn’t mind having to compare.

  “Have you thought any more about accompanying me to Jeremy’s birthday party August 1st?”

  He kissed her nose. “Mm, as a matter of fact, it’s looking pretty darn good, barring any complications with the old folks, anyway.”

  She withheld a whoop of excitement. “Are you sure? As much as I’d love to show you off to my sons, I know how much you hate putting too much space between you and your parents, especially with Ms. Marilee’s condition.”
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br />   “Well, I spoke to Pop, and his cataract surgery is scheduled for this Thursday, the 17th. Hopefully he’ll have his driver’s license reinstated by the first. In short, he told me to get the hell out of here.”

  She beamed at him. “Remind me to give Mr. J.D. a big old hug the next time I see him.”

  The air around them resonated with his low chuckle. “Will do. By the way, you said you wanted to show me off to your sons. How about Trini? Did she and Mick back out of the party?”

  Cynthia grinned and kissed his chin. “I’m sure she’ll be there. But she’ll probably spend the entire time finding fault where there is none, as is her way.”

  “Ah, I get what you’re saying.” He shrugged. “I’ll have to find a way to win her over, won’t I?”

  He kissed her again, ended with him nipping gently at her lower lip. She arched her back, pressing against him, thinking she wouldn’t mind putting off the movie for a bit longer. She took great satisfaction in the effort it took him to push away from her. She admired a gentleman as much as the next girl, but she could hardly wait to see him lose a little control … hell, scratch that … a lot of control.

  He reached around her for the bottle of wine. “Cork screw?”

  She took a deep breath and fanned her face with both hands. “Mm-hm. Top drawer.”

  He reached for the drawer. “This one?”

  “Uh huh.” She turned away and grabbed the tray. “Bring the bottle and those glasses when you get it opened, please. I’ll start that movie.” She left the room, trying to walk with shoulders back, gut tucked in, and backside tightened as she called back to him. “Are you watching my butt again, John Michael?”

  His laughter preceded his comeback. “Yep, and it’s such a nice butt, too.”

  She grinned. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime.”

  She barely had time to set the tray down on the large rectangular ottoman when the doorbell rang.

  Cynthia wiped her hands on her shorts, and padded over to the door in her sandaled feet. She pulled it open, her breath hissing at the sight of the man standing there.

  “Hello, Cyndi. You look well.”

  “Charlie. What are you doing here?”

  He took his cap off and shook the rain from it. “I’m afraid I wasn’t prepared for this storm, and I’m drenched. But if you let me come in, I’ll explain why I’m here.”

  She stepped aside to let him in, offered to get him a towel, which he declined.

  “Look, if you’re here to make excuses for Gene, I really don’t want to hear them.”

  “Is everything all right in here, Cyn?”

  She turned to where John Michael stood a step or two behind her and reached for his hand. “Come over here, John Michael. This is Charlie Jeffries.”

  John extended his hand. “John Ferguson. Charlie … you were Gene’s co-worker, I believe?”

  Charlie accepted John’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Co-worker, and his best friend since first grade.”

  John’s nod was brief but decisive. “I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sure you miss having him around.”

  His genuine concern seemed to take Charlie by surprise. He took a step back and dropped his gaze. “Thank you. I do. We all do at the station.”

  “No doubt.” John Michael stepped closer to Cynthia.

  Charlie’s gaze darted from one of them to the other. “Are you two a couple?”

  Cynthia lifted her chin. “Yes, we are.” And damned proud of it. John looped his arm around her waist, almost as though to back-up her statement, an unnecessary action, but oh, so appreciated. She leaned into him a little, thankful for his presence.

  Charlie nodded. “I’m happy for you, Cyndi. I really am. Is uh …” He slapped his damp cap on the thigh of his jeans. “Is there any way we could have a talk?”

  She spread both hands. “You’re here. So talk.”

  He grabbed the back of his neck and shot a quick look in John’s direction. “In private, I mean?”

  John adjusted his stance and shot Cynthia a look that said he’d rather not leave her alone with this guy. “I’ll give you some time alone with him if that’s want you want.”

  “Definitely not.” She grabbed his arm, pulled him back beside her and gazed up at Charlie. “He knows what Gene did, Charlie. Anything you say to me, you can say in front of him.”

  Charlie nodded, a little reluctantly. “Okay then.”

  Cynthia led both men into the living room. She offered Charlie a seat in the rocker while she snuggled up next to John Michael, never releasing the hold on his hand.

  “Here’s the deal, Cyndi. Tamara Sullivan was blackmailing Gene to make him keep seeing her. I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s true. He tried to get out of it, but she wouldn’t allow it. This girl chased him shamelessly. He resisted for two months. I guess she finally wore him down.”

  He stared down at his shoes and shook his head. “God knows I’m not making excuses for him, Cyndi. It was wrong, but you have to know the whole story. He slept with her once and felt so guilty afterwards, so awful about what he’d done to you. He never intended to see her again.”

  She sighed. “Yet he did see her again. He was afraid I’d find out about the one mistake he made with her, so he saw her for nearly two more years? It doesn’t fly, Charlie. Not with me.” John Michael cleared his throat, his frown telling her it obviously didn’t fly with him, either.

  Charlie raised his hands. “Hear me out, please. Two months later she starts calling him. He hung up on her and wouldn’t answer any more calls from her. A week later, she showed up at the firehouse, made a huge stink, ends up waving a report around saying she’s pregnant and it’s his kid. So, he tells her he’ll take care of her and the baby, if a DNA test proved it was his.”

  She sat up straight. “Are you trying to tell me my children have a half sibling out there?”

  “Long story short, she miscarried, but she had severe complications that left her unable to have any more children.”

  Cynthia covered her mouth. “Oh God. Are you serious?” She endured another prolonged pause from Charlie.

  “While she was still in the hospital, Gene asked a doctor friend of his to run a DNA test on the fetus to see if it was his baby. Even pulling some strings to quicken the process, it took a few days to find out, but it turned out it was.”

  Cynthia released her breath in a rush. “And of course, Gene blamed himself for being the cause of her never being able to have children.”

  Charlie nodded. “Of course, and I believe she was more than happy to use it against him as a form of emotional blackmail.”

  “Well, Charlie, based on what I witnessed, it sounds like he was more than happy to accommodate her.”

  “The thing is, he thought for sure Tamara would tire of him and move on. It turned out she was too desperate.”

  “No more desperate than Gene to keep me in the dark.” Cynthia gave him a tight smile and shook her head. “But Gene was far too intelligent to fall for something so ridiculous. If he continued the affair it was for one reason only, because it gave him a thrill.”

  Charlie’s jaw dropped. “Cyndi, you knew Gene better than anyone. How can you say that?”

  She raised both palms to the air. “Because I did know Gene better than anyone.”

  Charlie stood suddenly, his eyes dark with anger as he pointed at her. “You’re wrong about this.”

  John Michael stood also, obviously thrown into protective mode at Charlie’s stance. “It seems to me you’re angry at the wrong person. Your friend cheated on his wife and got you and everyone else in your department involved in covering up his infidelity. I know brotherhoods have this way of “taking care of their own”, but I was raised by a belief that every man has to earn respect, and every man is answerable for his own mistakes.”

  Charlie took a step nearer. “This is none of your business.”

  John Michael raised one forefinger to hammer his point home. “Your mistake wa
s enabling your best friend to continue with his affair by accepting it.”

  “It wasn’t my place to say—”

  “That’s bullshit. By keeping quiet, you sent the message of acceptance,” John Michael insisted. “You let him get away with it. Hell, he ran with it and that’s on you. If that girl hadn’t crashed the funeral, Gene would have gone to his grave with his family believing he was an honorable man.”

  Charlie stepped forward to meet him head on. “You didn’t know him.”

  “It kind of sounds like you didn’t, either.”

  Cynthia had risen to her feet, and stood watching the exchange. She stepped between the two men and turned to address Charlie. “Go home to your wife and try to forget about all this. Accept it. Gene did what he did for so long because he wanted to, whether anyone wants to believe it or not.”

  “Gene was a good man,” Charlie insisted.

  “But he wasn’t perfect, Charlie. He wasn’t the fine, upstanding man we all thought he was, or maybe he was, but with a single flaw. One hidden corner of his mind that convinced him he had no choice in the matter, when nothing was further from the truth.” She took a deep breath, released it shakily. “He loved every minute of the two years he spent with that woman.”

  “I can’t believe you’re so sure about this.”

  “I am sure.”

  Charlie’s face fell in utter defeat. “It floors me that you could think so little of your husband, Cindy.”

  John Michael released a grunt. “It floors me that you can think so highly of a man that slept around on his wife for over two years.”

  Charlie sent him a hard glare.

  Cynthia’s heart filled with gratification as John Michael stood his ground, no doubt ready to accept the challenge. She chopped the air with her hand. “Enough of this.” She took her unexpected guest’s arm and showed him to the door. “Goodbye, Charlie. Be careful driving in this rain.”

  He stood there under the stoop, wringing his hat in his hands. Finally, he looked up at her. “I’m sorry Cyndi, I truly am.”

  She gave him a brief nod and closed the door on him. Turning, she found John Michael’s gaze locked onto hers. Without a word, she walked to him, relishing the feel of his comforting arms wrapped tightly around her.