by Sable Hunter
“Roll up the window if you get too cool.”
“No, I’m warm. I’m fine.” She took a deep breath of the fresh crisp air. “Tell us more about the competition last night,” Delaney encouraged him to talk, hoping John would join in.
“Tebow won, of course. One of the competitors of Bar X was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct, but we had them beat in points before that.”
“What did the guy do?” This question came from Delaney.
“He was harassing one of the waitresses. Seren, I think her name is.”
“Oh, the angel,” John spoke up from the back seat.
“The angel, why did you call her that?” Jonah watched his dad from the rearview mirror.
John shrugged. “She is one. We made a movie together. Angel and the Badman. I was the badman.”
“Ah, I see.” He glanced at Delaney with a smile, then frowned when he saw her face. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No. I was just wondering if the guy could’ve been one of the men who tried to force me in their car.”
“Diego is a very large Hispanic man.”
Delaney shook her head. “Not one of the guys who bothered me.”
“No.” He tapped the steering wheel. “Speaking of those men, I talked to one of my friends at the police station.”
“Have they caught them?” she asked with interest.
“No, but there’s been another incident.”
“Oh, no? What’s happened?” Delaney found herself holding on to the edge of her seat.
“This young woman was hitchhiking, and two guys picked her up. She asked to be taken to a particular place and when they passed the spot without stopping, she started demanding to be let out. The lady caused such a ruckus, one of them tasered her.”
“Yes! That’s them, it has to be. Did she get away?”
“She did, but it was a while later. They were almost in El Paso when they stopped for gas, and she managed to get someone’s attention. She was rescued, but the men got away.”
“Dammit! Did her description match mine?”
“Yes, my friend said it did. So, there’s an APB out for their arrest now. They’ll catch them.”
“I hope so.” Delaney looked down at her lap, chewing on her lip. “Can’t be soon enough for me. I see them everywhere I go.”
“What do you mean?” Jonah asked with concern.
She shook her head. “I guess I’ve let my imagination run away with me. Seems like everywhere I look, I see this black muscle car. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. I have a hard time telling some of those makes of cars apart.”
Jonah didn’t really believe that. “You’re pretty car savvy. For a girl.” He teased her to make her smile.
“Yea, maybe.”
“Listen.” He put a comforting hand on her knee. “All you have to do is call me. I’ll drop everything and come to you. Anytime. And as for these guys? Who knows? If they’re hanging out around here, you need to be extra careful. Okay?”
“I’ll watch after the little Missy.” John patted his chest. “I need a badge. Can you get me a badge, Delaney?”
“Yea, I’m sure we can. I’ll check in Dollar General when we stop.” She thought it was funny and sad that Mr. John didn’t find it odd how she fulfilled his requests. “How much further to the bat cave, Batman?”
“Not far.” Jonah pointed ahead of them. “Five minutes tops. We’ll take a hike and get some exercise. We can’t go in the tunnel itself, but maybe we’ll get lucky and see a few bats.”
“Lucky indeed,” Delaney muttered.
When they arrived, she was pleasantly surprised at the park’s beauty. Several other people were taking advantage of the cool clear weather. Rufus was elated at the chance to go on a walk. After paying their fee, the quartet took off with John and the dog leading the way. Hand in hand, Jonah and Delaney followed at a more leisurely pace.
“How’s the McCoy truck restoration coming along?”
“Good.” Jonah pushed his hat back on his head. “Libby will come over next week to make some choices on interior stuff.”
“I’m sure she is excited. The paint job really looks nice.”
“Thanks. So, how should we handle this apology that Cady McCoy recommends?”
Delaney leaned against him as they moved to one side to allow another hiker to pass. “I’ve been giving this some thought. Tonight, I think we should all sit down together. Light a few candles and have a conversation.”
“What you’re suggesting sounds an awful lot like a séance. I suggested that to her and she said all we need to do is have a talk with Claudette.”
“True. I guess we could leave off the candles.”
“As if that would make a difference.” He brought her hand to his lips. “It all sounds a little silly to me.”
“I guess we could wait to see if anything else happens.”
“Nope.” John spoke from just ahead of them. “I don’t mind saying I’m sorry, because I am.”
“What do you mean, Dad? Claudette was a nightmare,” Jonah said, then jumped. “Ow!”
“What’s wrong?” Delaney asked, sidestepping to look at him better.
He stooped to pick up a small rock. “This just hit me in the head.”
“All right! That’s enough.” John whirled around and stomped one booted foot. “That’s enough, Claudette. I know you’re here, you’ve been following me everywhere. I have something to say to you and it’s time you listened.”
Delaney and Jonah stepped a foot or two to the side, ready for most anything to happen. “Do you think this is the time and place, John?” she asked softly.
“No time like the present. I need to do this while I still have the mind to do it.” He rubbed his head. “I’ve been worse the past two days. I can’t seem to keep a thought in my head. And I itch all over. I’m as miserable as a man can be.”
Delaney felt so sorry for him she could cry. “Go ahead, then. If someone happens by, we’ll just pretend you’re talking to me.”
John nodded. “Claudette, I know most of our problems was my fault. I didn’t treat you right.”
This was news to Jonah. His entire body stiffened with tension. “What are you talking about?” he whispered. “She made my life miserable.”
“Only because I made her life miserable,” John countered. “What I never told my boy here is that you begged me to go after him. To bring him home. I was just too stubborn to do so.”
Delaney could tell his father’s words were hurting Jonah. “John, please stop.”
John waved his hand at Delaney, telling her to let him finish. “I never gave you a chance, Claudette. I was still in love with Jonah’s mother. And every time I looked at him, I thought of her. I apologize, I didn’t treat either one of you the way you deserved.”
By this time, John was staring at his son. “I’m sorry, Jonah.”
For a second or two, Delaney wasn’t sure what Jonah would do. She could sense his frustration, his shock.
“It’s okay, Dad. Water under the bridge. We’ve started over. Right?”
“Right.”
Delaney watched as the two men embraced. She clasped her hands and pressed them to her lips, trying to keep from crying. Turning away to give them a moment, she tried to concentrate on the beauty of her surroundings. Seeing an intriguing pathway ahead, she picked up the end of Rufus’ leash and took off toward it. In a few hundred steps, they came to the tunnel dug into the side of a big hill. A beautiful stream ran at the base. Delaney gingerly stepped over some rocks to ford the creek and approach the tunnel. “This isn’t so bad. Huh, boy?” She stopped to read the marker, detailing the how the Forest Service bought the land just to preserve the old railroad tunnel which had become home to three million Mexican freetail bats. “Three million bats?”
At that moment, something flew in her hair, and she screamed bloody murder.
…At the sound of the scream, Jo
nah took off. “Delaney! Delaney!” What if something horrible had happened to her?” Sprinting down the path, he called again. “Delaney! Where are you?”
“I’m here. Over here.”
As soon as he heard her call and Rufus barking, Jonah almost collapsed with relief. He ran the last few steps of the way, ending up in front of the old tunnel. “What’s wrong?”
“A bat flew in my hair.”
“Did he scratch you? Are you bleeding?”
“No. I don’t think so.” She felt of her neck. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“Let me see.” When he didn’t find any trace of blood, he yanked her close. “You scared me.”
“I apologize.”
“Do you carry medication with you? Just in case?”
“I do. It’s always in my purse,” she reassured him, warmed by his concern. “How’s your Dad?”
“Waiting for us. I hope.” He held her for a moment or two longer. “Come on. We’ll talk about all of this later.”
She realized he was still processing what he’d learned. “That bat was scary, Jonah.”
He laughed. “You’re such a girl. I think there’s something I need to show you on the way home.”
…A little while later they stood at the base of a thirty-foot tower. Delaney was impressed. “Wow. This is like a gigantic birdhouse for bats.”
“Exactly. They call it a hydrostatic bat roost. I think it was built in 1902 or something in an attempt to control the mosquito population.”
“Did it work?” Delaney asked.
John slapped at his neck. “No.”
“It’s neat though,” Jonah looked up at the impressive structure. “There used to be a lot of them spread around over the country. Now, there are just two. This one in Comfort and one in the Florida Keys.”
“I like it. Thanks for showing it to me.”
“You’re welcome.” As they walked to the wrecker, John’s phone rang. “Callan.” He listened for a moment. “Sure, Canyon. I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong?” Delaney asked.
“Nothing, just a service call. Some woman has broken down on the side of the road.”
The very idea of a woman being vulnerable to what she experienced unnerved Delaney. “Let’s hurry.”
“We will, but she’s okay. Canyon’s with her.”
A short while later, Delaney sat with John as Jonah hooked a car onto the wrecker. The driver was a very nice-looking woman by the name of Joplin Capri. From what she understood from the brief conversation, she was opening a new bakery in town. When he was finished, he gave the woman some information, then watched as she left with Canyon.
“She’s pretty,” Delaney observed nonchalantly.
“You think so?” Jonah asked, giving her a wink. “She’s not my type.”
“How can that be? That woman is every man’s type.”
“Not mine. I’m pretty specific. I only like pretty girl’s named Delaney.”
“Oh, pshaw,” John huffed and folded his arms over his chest. “Let’s get going. I gotta pee.”
“By all means.” Jonah slammed his door and started the engine. “After we make the costume run, why don’t we get burgers to take home? That breakfast sandwich wasn’t very substantial.”
“Sounds good to me,” John seconded the motion.
…A little while later, they were on the way home. “The burgers smell great,” Delaney said as she clutched the Dollar General bag to her breast.
“What you got there?” Jonah nodded toward her purchase. “Did you get my wig?”
“I did. They had a lot of Halloween stuff.”
“What did you get for yourself?”
Delaney pressed her lips together. “It’s a surprise.”
“Come on, let me see.” He made a grab for the bag. “Did you get that harem outfit?”
“No, they didn’t have anything like that. I had to, uh, improvise.”
Jonah smiled. “I’m intrigued.”
She held the bag tighter. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Waiting was never my strong suit.”
The look he gave her was full of meaning and Delaney knew he was talking about more than learning her costume choice. “Look, we’ll talk tonight. Okay?”
“After the burgers. It’s a date.”
Delaney glanced over her shoulder to check on John. “He and the dog are fast asleep.”
“Do you think his apology to Claudette worked?”
She lifted her shoulders in uncertainty. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
He adjusted his rearview mirror so he could see his father. “It’s weird how I found an explanation for everything that happened. How wrong I was. Makes me question my judgement on other matters.”
“I did the same thing until I saw her with my own eyes.”
“Yea, but I didn’t believe you. I should have.”
“It’s okay.” She gave him a teasing smile. “I forgive you. You can make it up to me in other ways.”
“How?”
“Hmmm.” She thought for a moment. “Let me think about it.”
“Hey, I’d offer to give you a massage…if I knew how.”
His offer amused Delaney. “Hint. Hint.”
He lifted both hands briefly from the steering wheel. “Hey, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“No. I can’t.” She smiled a secret smile as a plan came to mind. “I don’t blame you at all.”
* * *
After a quiet evening and an early bedtime for John, Delaney readied things in her room for Jonah’s surprise. “I know they’re down here somewhere.” She dug in the bottom of one of her suitcases. “Ah, yes! Massage oils.” After placing them next to the bed, she decided to take a quick shower. Her decision about tonight was one she’d made quickly. And after making such a big deal about waiting, Delaney didn’t know how to tell Jonah she’d changed her mind. Her plan at the moment was to spring her decision on him in the midst of a massage.
Once she showered, Delaney realized she didn’t have anything sexy to wear. She always slept in t-shirts. Surveying the meager selection, the best choice seemed to be the one without writing or holes. “Wow, this is pretty sad.” With a sigh of resignation, she slipped it over her head and pulled on a matching pair of shorts. “What you see is what you get.”
…Downstairs, Jonah walked back and forth in front of the fireplace. “Where is she?” he asked the cat. They were supposed to talk. Had she changed her mind? Afraid he was going to wear a hole in the rug, he sat down on the couch. “You’re no help,” he told Tommy.
Without his pacing, he could hear a pin drop. Straining to listen, he heard a few bumps and scuffles. Was that Delaney…or Claudette? “You’re pitiful, Callan. You’re either spooked or lovesick, neither one a healthy thing for a man to be.”
“Jonah?”
He stood up. Did he hear his name? Or was that his imagination?
“Jonah.”
“Yea?” He exhaled in relief. It was Delaney. Walking through the living room, he came to the foot of the stairs.
“Can you come up here, please?”
“Sure.” He bounded up the stairs and headed straight for her room. “I thought we were going to talk.” When he entered the room, it was to find her sitting on the bed, much like the night when he painted her toenails.
She patted the bed. “Care to join me?”
“Oh, yea. I’d love to.”
“Why don’t you take off your clothes and lie down on the bed for me, please.” When he just stared at her blankly, she patted the bed again. “Leave on your underwear. For now.”
For now? “Aren’t you getting undressed too?”
“Not at the moment.”
“I’m not sure what’s about to happen, but I have to tell you I don’t want this to be quite so one-sided. As much as I loved what we did last night, there are some things I want t
o do to you.”
“All in good time. I have a request to fulfill first.”
“You do?” He shed in clothes in record time.
“Yea. Lay down on your tummy. I’ve giving you a massage.”
“Oh, Lordy.” He lowered himself to the mattress, trying to keep his eyes on her. “You’re so beautiful.”
“In these clothes? I do own a mirror, you know.”
“Stop it. You’re sexy as hell.”
“Thank you.” Taking the oils, Delaney settled herself over him. “You’re not too bad yourself, cowboy. Actually, you are delicious.”
“I’m not sure how to take that.”
Placing the vials of oil on the blanket, she eased up next to him, then straddled his hips. When she settled herself on top of him, she wiggled just a bit. Biting her lower lip, she smiled and wiggled again. “Oh, that feels good.”
“Delaney, you’re gonna kill me.” He could feel himself growing harder by the minute.
“Oh, no. I’m gonna make you feel really good.”
Calling upon her expertise, she warmed the oil in her hands, then set to work. Beginning at his neck, she set out to loosen every muscle, reduce all of his tension, and decrease any stress. With eager fingers, she indulged herself, savoring the chance to touch him. To admire him. To steal a kiss when the opportunity arose. The further she went down his back, the more turned on she became. When she finished massaging his hips and thighs, Delaney was almost a puddle of goo. “Turn over,” she whispered. “I want to do your front.”
When Jonah didn’t answer, she asked him again. “Hey, turn over so I can do your front.”
Again, no movement. No answer.
Moving off of him, she bent to look at his face. “Well, doodle-squat. He’s fast asleep.” Since he was lying spread eagle over the entirety of her bed, Delaney was in a bit of a predicament. After a moment of consideration, she picked up her oils, put them on the table – and left the room. If he could sleep in her bed, she guessed she could sleep in his.