“I know you’re a city girl,” he said, as he slid into the driver’s seat. “You’ve probably have never even been in a truck before.”
“Actually, my dad had a pickup.” Why had I said that?
“Let me guess, big, shiny, and new?”
I couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “More like ancient and rusty and wouldn’t run when it rained.”
He looked at me, his eyes wide. “You’re kidding.”
I shrugged. “He loved the old thing.”
“So, are you from D.C. originally?”
“Near there.” If you could call eight hundred miles south “near.”
“You’re probably bored silly out here in nowhere land.”
“No, I’m enjoying myself.” Which was incredible, actually.
“I’m glad.”
“Are you?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
I poked at a big splotch of dirt on my right knee. “Because I’m here with Maddie.”
He made a scoffing sound. “It’s not your fault.”
I felt my shoulders tighten and my breath pull in hard through my nose. “Just because the two of you can’t get over something that happened ten years ago—”
“Look, if you keep on, I’ll wind up saying something you don’t like about your friend, and then you’ll be mad. And then I’ll get mad and the whole thing could get ugly. I’d really rather just enjoy the victory party.”
I hated he was right, but he was. “Okay. I’ll keep my big mouth shut.”
Jake pulled his truck into the Pizza Town parking lot, killed the motor, and turned to look at me. He stared for a moment, his eyes narrowed; his head leaned to one side. I was feeling distinctly uncomfortable. “Is there dirt on my face?”
“It isn’t big.”
“What?”
His lips twitched. “Just checking out your mouth. Not big, but pretty tasty, if you ask me.”
With that, he opened his door, slid out, and headed toward the restaurant.
I jerked the door open and climbed out of the truck. Even running, I didn’t catch him until he was almost at the door. “Rat,” I told him as I swung past and pushed in before him. I was quite disappointed he grabbed the door before it slammed closed in his face. No wonder Maddie didn’t like him.
Pizza Town was a bright family friendly place with red and white checked tablecloths, a real jukebox, and overworked waitresses who looked like it took every bit of strength they had to keep smiling. Still, they seemed genuinely happy to see us, and to hear their town’s team had won.
Several tables were quickly shoved together to form one that stretched from the front of the restaurant to almost the back wall. I sat across from Margaret and Henry and smiled at the expression of love I saw on their faces. I took some quick shots of the group and made sure to get a clear pic of the two of them.
Someone sat in the seat next to me, and I knew even before I looked I wasn’t going to be happy about it. “Isn’t there somebody else you could harass?”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the job. I was thinking you could ride to work with Margaret in the morning.”
Margaret tightened her lips into a line. “Jake, the girl is on her vacation. Why don’t you give her a break?”
“I’d hate to have our win rescinded on a technicality.” He caught my gaze and held it. “Besides, I really could use your help.”
Why did I think I was about to regret not going with Maddie and Liza to the hospital? “What exactly do you need me to do? You said something about taking pictures?”
“Actually, it should be right up your alley. I have a website and a brochure I like to keep up-to-date. It isn’t, and the guy who usually takes the pictures is in California doing his animal rescue thing. Now, I could get my trusty cheapo camera and do some shots, but it wouldn’t look very professional. The only other option is to wait for Ace to get back, which is what I was going to do. I’m not happy with either option. And that’s where you come in.”
Well, if it involved taking pictures of antiques, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all. He seemed to have some pretty nice things in his shop. “Okay, I’m in.” I looked at Margaret. “What time do you leave for work?”
“Seven-thirty.”
Yikes!
“Margaret,” Jake said, “you don’t have to be there so early. Why don’t you two come in at ten?”
“Oh, no. I don’t want to mess up your schedule,” I said. “It’s not a problem. I’ll be ready at seven-fifteen tomorrow morning.” Ready for what, I wasn’t sure.
Margaret shrugged. “Whatever.”
The waitress got to our section, and the next few minutes were spent debating how many different kinds of pizza to order. Personally, if it’s got crust, tomato sauce, and cheese, I’m all over it.
The conversation turned to what the rest of the festival had to offer. I felt unexpected excitement as the people around me talked about music, crafts, a carnival complete with rides and games, and the parade that would be the high point of the festival. It had been a long time since I’d been part of a small town party and I was shocked at how much I was looking forward to the next few days.
Except, of course, the whole working for Jake thing. I wasn’t looking forward to that. Really, I wasn’t.
Time passed, the celebration began to break up, and suddenly I realized Henry and Margaret weren’t across from me any longer.
I turned to Jake. “Did they leave?”
“Who?”
“Margaret and Henry.”
“They took off about five minutes ago,” the first-baseman said.
Great. “I was counting on Margaret for a ride back to her house.”
“I’ll take you,” Jake said.
I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping the whole fiasco would just vanish. Unfortunately it was still there when I opened my eyes again. “Fine.”
“Calm down, all that excitement isn’t good for you.”
I turned and gave him my very best glare. It should have backed him up a couple of feet. All it did was provoke a grin.
A few minutes later I was back in the green pickup, and Jake appeared to have decided he’d take me to Margaret’s but he didn’t have to speak to me. And just when I was beginning to think he might not be as big a jerk as I’d thought.
As much out of orneriness as curiosity, I brought up the one subject that seemed to get everybody’s tails twisted. “So, Jake, have you ever seen a Bigfoot?”
The truck jerked, and for a moment I thought I had made the biggest—and possibly last—mistake of my life. He quickly got the vehicle under control, and I closed my eyes and breathed a prayer of thanks. Not that I’m a big religious-type person, but it seemed the thing to do under the circumstances.
“What in the world made you ask that?”
“Um, Big Foot Festival. You know, the reason I’m here.”
“The festival is named in honor of the town founder. Didn’t anybody tell you?”
“The guy with big feet. Yeah, I know. I was just making conversation.”
Jake went back to being silent and I tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t have him losing control of his pickup. “It sure is hot, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
Before I could think of another topic of conversation, he pulled into Margaret’s driveway and sat staring at her house open-mouthed. “It really is purple.”
“You didn’t know?”
“I never come out here.” I saw him swallow hard. “Not anymore. I’d…um…I’d heard the house was purple, but I figured it was really blue or even some odd shade of brown. But it’s really deep, vivid, dancing dinosaur purple.”
“It’s an awesome thing to do. Margaret has a wonderful sense of whimsy.”
“Figures you’d like a purple house.”
I leveled a narrow-eyed glare at him. “Yeah, what about it?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, you’re a little on the different side.” H
e smiled, just a little smile, but it was enough to float my traitorous heart to the top of my chest.
“Different side of what?”
He brushed the back of his fingers gently across my cheek. “Pretty much everything.”
I couldn’t move. Not my hand, my leg, or even my lungs. I was frozen; unbreathing, unthinking, unbelieving of the warmth of his touch or the hot desire roaring deep in my abdomen. Hot and cold, ice and fire, loathing and lust.
Jake.
He pulled away and grabbed the steering wheel with white knuckle force. I knew I should take the opportunity to go, but I didn’t want to.
I mentally kicked my own rear and pulled open the door. Before I headed to the house, I turned and spoke into the open window. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
He stared at nothingness as he said, “Maddie left for college right after high school graduation. I was still in the burn unit.”
Before I could think of something to say, he put the truck in gear and started backing up. All I could do was jump back from the moving vehicle before I was knocked off my feet.
As I watched him roar away, I considered what he’d said, and the way his scar had blanched when he said it. It had to be all a big misunderstanding. There was no way the sweet, giving, loyal friend I knew could have anything to do with the agony I’d seen in Jake’s eyes.
Right?
Chapter 8
The front door was unlocked, so I opened it and walked into the house. I seriously needed a shower, but more than anything I needed to think.
I headed toward the stairs, but before I got beyond the first step I heard Margaret’s voice from the living room. “You got home all right, I see.”
It would be rude to ignore my hostess, so I stuck my head in the living room doorway. Margaret and Henry sat side by side on the couch.
“Jake brought me,” I told them, feeling a bit of irritation with the two of them, especially when Margaret smiled.
“I knew he would; he’d never leave a woman stranded. He’s such a sweetheart.”
Sudden understanding smacked me in the face. The rats! “You left me there on purpose.”
Margaret shrugged and motioned for me to have a seat across from the couch. “I just thought it’d be good for the two of you to have some time alone.”
I perched on the edge of the chair, hoping I wouldn’t get the beautiful fabric dirty, while I wondered what she could possibly mean. No way could it be what I suspected. “What, were you hoping we’ll kill each other or something?”
Margaret laughed. “Not at all. In case you haven’t noticed, Jake is quite taken with you. I was just, shall we say, giving things a bit of a prod.”
That had me staring like a complete idiot. “Taken? With me? Huh?”
“You mean you really haven’t noticed.”
“There is some attraction. But,” I hastened to add, “there are a lot of reasons for us to keep far apart.”
“Like Madison?”
“Exactly.”
Margaret sighed. “What’s between Jake and Maddie is their problem, not yours.”
“But she’s my best friend. She rented me her extra room, she showed me the ropes in D.C., she took me to the hospital when I had appendicitis.”
“Then it’ll be your decision whether to follow up on your attraction. All I did was give you two a chance to connect.” She shrugged innocently. “Besides, you and Jake will be working together. You might as well figure out how to get along.”
Oh boy! What had I gotten myself into?
“I figure Jake doesn’t know what to do with either one of ‘em,” Henry said.
“Really?” Margaret asked.
Henry nodded. “You have to understand; women are mysterious creatures to us men.”
“I’m mysterious?” Margaret asked him.
“Sweetheart, you’re the most mysterious woman I’ve ever met.” He pulled her close and kissed her.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said, not at all sure the couple heard me. I smiled as I headed toward the stairs. There was nothing more wonderful in the world than the expression on the faces of a couple in love. Not just lust, or even the beginnings of true caring. The best love was that of a couple who’d gone past all that, of two people who cared enough about each other to risk lives, livelihoods, or even hearts. That was the kind of love I wanted to find. The kind I saw in Henry and Margaret’s faces.
I’d just started up the stairs when the front door opened and Madison walked in. “How’s Liza?” I asked.
“She cracked a bone in her wrist, but she’ll be fine.” Maddie grinned. “She’s got Steve falling all over himself taking care of her.”
I sighed. “So that’s the secret. All you have to do is get hit with a softball and crack a bone.”
Madison shuddered. “I’ll just stay single.”
“You and me both, sister.”
Maddie started up the stairs. “I seriously need a shower.”
“Hey, I was on my way to the shower first.” I rushed up the stairs behind her.
“No way José! I’ve got hospital cooties on me.” Madison swung up the last few steps, and slammed the bathroom door in my face.
“I’ll remember this!” I yelled at her through the door.
“Be my guest,” Maddie yelled back.
“I am your guest. And you should treat me better.”
“Whatever.” The shower turned on.
I went to gather clean clothes and hope there’d be hot water left when Maddie finished. The odds really weren’t in my favor. Oh well, maybe a cold shower would get my mind off that annoying varmint by the name of Jake.
While I was waiting, I booted up my laptop and downloaded the pictures I’d taken at the game. I was smiling when Maddie came in the room wearing a soft pink bathrobe with a big blue towel wrapped around her head. She plopped down on the floor beside me. “Good pics.”
“Thanks.”
“I heard we won.”
I smiled, remembering. “We did.”
“Thanks for helping out.”
“I enjoyed it.”
She began drying her hair with the towel. “I knew you would.”
“About that. There was a fuss because I wasn’t an employee of a downtown business.”
She shrugged. “I thought there might be. Did Henry give you a job or something?”
I stared hard at the computer screen. “Not Henry.”
She sighed and got to her feet. “Let me guess. You’re working with Mom at Jake’s store.”
I couldn’t help it. I stared at her. “You know about that.”
She combed out her long, blonde hair. “I’ve known for a while. I just don’t understand why she didn’t tell me.”
“She thought her seeing Henry was enough to deal with for a while.”
Maddie nodded. “I can see the logic in that. I wish she’d told me though. It was embarrassing to find out from that bitchy slut Kimmie Vaughn.”
“I’m just taking pictures for Jake.” She didn’t say anything, so I continued. “Maybe I should tell him I can’t do it.”
She turned to glare at me. “And let Stony Grove yank away the win from us? Don’t even think about it!”
“I don’t want to cause any problems between you and me.”
“Working for Jake to qualify you to play softball is one thing.” She looked at the comb in her hand. “Kissing him is something else entirely.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “I’m just going to take photos of his stuff for his website and brochure. That’s all.”
She gave me a hard narrow-eyed glaring stab. “He’s not a nice person.”
“I get it.”
She continued to scrutinize my face for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. I’m planning to do a bunch of stuff with the squad tomorrow anyway.” She narrowed her eyes and gave me a you’re-so-missing-out-but-whatever look. “I know you don’t want to spend time with a bunch of ex-cheerleaders.”
/> “Not so much.”
“Still interested in the craft fair Friday afternoon?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
She smiled and went back to untangling her shiny golden mane. I grabbed my stuff and headed for a cold shower.
****
I sat on the back porch again that evening, but I didn’t see anything resembling a bear, Bigfoot, or Great Dane in a china shop. I did have an interesting conversation with a squirrel. Yeah, I said conversation, and no, squirrels in Ugly Creek don’t speak English. At least I don’t think they do.
This one came right up on the top step and stood there looking at me. I happened to be munching on some truly awesome peanut butter cookies á la Margaret, and I got the feeling that Mr. Squirrel thought I was being pretty selfish. I tried to ignore him, but he pulled out his arsenal of cute, and I finally gave in and scooted a bit of cookie his way. He picked it up, stood holding it while looking at me, and I knew as well as if he’d spoken that he was telling me, “Just how am I supposed to feed my wife and kids with this tiny little piece.”
I tried to explain cookies were fattening, but he only narrowed his cute little eyes. Finally I caved and slid a whole cookie across the porch. As soon as I did, I realized the creature wouldn’t be able to carry such a huge bounty. That cookie was enormous compared to his tiny little body. I wondered if he would let me break it up.
He was gone. And so was the cookie. I’d been looking at him the whole time, apparently he’d moved when I blinked. I shook my head and chuckled at the whole episode. It seemed even the squirrels in this town were weird.
I picked up my plate and turned to go into the house. I’d opened the door when I heard a rustling behind me. I turned and squinted into the darkness, but I didn’t see anything. Probably it was my buddy the cookie-mooching squirrel climbing a tree. Although it had sounded like a larger creature.
A bit spooked, I went into the house. I couldn’t resist one last, lingering look out into the dark yard. I thought I saw movement by a huge oak tree, but when I didn’t see anything else, I decided it had to be my imagination.
If there was a Bigfoot out there, he or she wasn’t going to let me know about it.
A big yawn reminded me I had to get up early in the morning, so I locked the door, rinsed my dishes, and headed up the stairs. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Jake. Really I wasn’t. I just wanted to be ready for anything.
The Ugly Truth Page 8