Summer Obsession (The Townsends Book 1)

by Angie Campbell

*******

  The next couple of days passed in a haze. Mindi was sure her mom and dad had done more of the funeral arrangements than Luke. He couldn’t seem to get his feet back under him. It was like his world was turned completely upside down.

  The day of the funeral dawned warm and bright. It was completely at odds with the way Mindi was feeling inside. She just wanted to get through the next couple of hours without falling completely apart.

  She wasn’t sure Luke had managed to let himself grieve yet. So far, every time she had seen him he had been dry eyed, but had this lost little boy look on his face. She hated to think of him crying, but he needed to grieve. Bottling the pain up inside wasn’t good for him.

  When they arrived at the funeral home, Luke was sitting in the back. He must have been waiting on them, because when she walked through the door, he jumped up and grabbed her hand, and pulled her with him to the front. He walked them up the aisle so fast, she barely had time to notice the place was already packed, but she could feel people staring at her. She wondered what they were thinking.

  She didn’t have time to wonder for long. All other concerns, except for Luke, was pushed from her mind. It seemed like, the second they reached the front, and they were inches from the casket, the enormity of the last couple of days caught up to him.

  He was crying silent tears, but he was crying so hard, she was afraid he was going to collapse. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and did the best she could to support his weight. Her brother Zane, noticed her distress, and came up behind her and took most of their combined weight, while Jenny came up on the other side of Luke and took some of his weight. Together, the four of them stood there in the middle of the packed funeral home until Luke silently indicated he wanted to sit down.

  After they finally got seated and the service started, everything passed in a haze. She could barely remember hearing what had been said. She had been so focused on getting Luke through the proceedings they were standing at the grave site before she realized it, and the service was over.

  Everyone else was starting to wander off. Luke, still holding on to her hand like it was a life line, was now dry eyed, but he was staring down at the ground, and seemed unwilling to move yet. He seemed to be coming to some kind of decision in his mind.

  When he finally looked over at her and spoke, it was just to ask, “Are you ready to go?” But with that one softly spoken question, she realized he had finally come to grips with the death of his grandfather. She could finally hear the Luke she had known so long, and grown to love in his tone again.

  She just smiled back at him, and pulled him toward the cars where they found her parents, Zane, Lisa and James waiting for them.

  “Well, everybody is meeting back at our place. They’ve all been bringing food by all morning,” Carl said, heading toward the driver’s side of the old Cadillac. “Let’s go eat,” he said with a grin. “I’m sure old Sam would approve.”

  Chapter 10 – Wednesday, July 4

  In the month following Luke’s grandfather’s death, Mindi had spent as much time with him as she could. She had wanted to keep him company. It bothered her to think of him being alone at a time like this. Trying to adjust to the changes losing his grandfather would bring on.

  It had altered their relationship. They had grown a lot closer and had went the entire month without having a serious argument. They could have a whole conversation without raising the roof off the house. Even when they disagreed about something.

  They had even spent a couple of nights watching old Cary Grant movies and John Wayne westerns. It had felt really good to spend time with him without fighting. She had really enjoyed his company. She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but she had even got to know him better than she already knew him.

  The only change she had noticed that she didn’t like, was he was keeping his distance. Despite the fact he had said he wouldn’t be backing off, he hadn’t given her more than a quick peck goodbye since their argument over Jake. She was really missing the passion she felt when he kissed her. Really kissed her, and put himself into it. She felt like there was a piece of her missing.

  She had started to think it was because she had asked him to let her get things in the right order. Which meant, she was going to have to tell him the truth. She wasn’t looking forward to that. She knew it was going to cause a fight. And she didn’t want the peace to end. But she knew she was going to have to weather the storm to get where she wanted to be. And she had decided she was going to find a way to tell him today.

  She pulled up next to the garage and jumped out of the old four-wheel drive and ran up the stairs to the apartment Luke lived in. She knocked on the door and stood waiting for him to answer.

  When he answered the door, he just grinned at her and closed the door behind him. They made their way back down and around to the old truck, and climbed in. They didn’t realize they had cause to be wary. Tracy had been strangely absent for the last month. And they had gotten comfortable. They never noticed that they were being watched from across the street. Tracy was hidden out of sight by some old trees that had probably been growing there for longer than town had been established.

  *******

  Tracy looked at herself in the mirror where she stood brushing her long blond hair. I look absolutely perfect in my little red dress. Luke won’t be able to resist me. I am absolutely gorgeous. He’ll take one look at me, and forget that frumpy Mindi.

  I saw the way Mindi was acting at the old geezer’s funeral. The old goat probably would have loved it. Luke’s grandpa never liked me much, but he seemed to think little miss goody-two-shoes was perfect. He would have thought it a riot that Mindi was hanging all over Luke, while I was nowhere to be seen.

  But they were all wrong. I was there. I had to see for myself that mean old grizzly bear was gone. And good riddance is what I say. Of course, I can never tell Luke that. He was crazy about that old man. With him out of the way though, I have a clear shot at Luke. I know that grumpy, old man had to have been trying to turn Luke against me. Well, now he is gone, and he can no longer fill Luke’s head with his poison. And I’m going to the Townsend’s annual barbecue. With or without an invitation.

  How dare they invite the whole town, and not me? Luke is even going to their silly little barbecue. I’ll show them. I’ll show up anyway. They’ll be way too polite to run me off.

  They’re always trying to steal my man for frumpy old Mindi. Well, I’m not going to let that happen. Luke belongs to me. That little tramp doesn’t deserve him. She is probably throwing herself at him. That’s the only way she would be able to keep his feelings confused like this. Mindi is going to regret getting in my way. I’m going to make sure of it.

  *******

  “Do you think they’ll notice we’re match making?” Carl asked his wife with a grin on his face.

  “Let’s hope not. At least not until it’s too late,” she said with just as big a grin as her husband. “After all, we picked the ones they were already in love with. I just wish Amanda could have made it. There’s something about that guy she’s dating that I don’t like.” I’m afraid he’s hitting her, and if she doesn’t get away from him before Zane finds out, he’ll kill the guy.

  “You’d think with sixteen kids we’d be able to get one of them married so we could have some grandchildren.”

  “Do I need to remind you that most of our children are too young to get married and have children of their own?” I swear. I think he gets worse every year. The man really loves babies.

  “I know, but let’s hope we don’t have to wait until Emily is old enough,” he said as he eyed the youngest Townsend sleeping in the play-pin.

  “Oh, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Mindi stayed with Luke through the whole funeral. And before you say anything,” she said, noticing her husband trying to interrupt, “I know he wasn’t letting go of her hand. She, however, wasn’t worried about anything else going on around them. She was only concerned with Luke.
And it has helped their relationship turn a corner. They’ve spent a lot of time together in the last month. And without fighting, I might add.”

  Carl finally just looked at her and answered back, “I hope you’re right, but she still hasn’t told him she lied about dating someone else.”

  The two made their way back out to the picnic tables with the potato salad and another jug of lemonade.

  Jamie stopped beside Christy Newman, and sit the jug she had in her hand down on the table. “Hello, Christy,” she said putting her hand on her shoulder to get her attention. “How are you doing? Did you bring your kids?”

  “Yeah. Their over there with Phillip. They miss their daddy. It helps being around this crazy crew of yours,” she said with love in her eyes.

  “Would you please marry my son?” Jamie said, only half joking.

  “Oh, you know I would,” she said a little wistfully as she watched Phillip get up and walk across the yard to the back porch and go in the house. She knew trying to lie to Jamie would be pointless. The woman saw way too much.

  She decided to follow him. She was starting to wonder why he hadn’t remarried. These family gatherings always seemed to bring him down.

  She walked in the kitchen and seen him sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. “You drink too much of that stuff, you know?”

  He looked up at her with sadness in his eyes. “At least it’s not beer, or something harder.”

  “Okay. You win that one.” He’s right. If the guy that hit him and his wife hadn’t been drinking, she might still be alive.

  “Are you ever going to get married again?”

  “Are you?” he asked, turning the question around on her.

  “Oh. That’s swift,” she said with a little laugh. “Avoid the question. Do I really have to remind you that my husband hasn’t even been gone a year yet? I’m not ready. I was just looking for a vicarious thrill.” Of course, if you asked me to marry you, I’d do it tomorrow.

  “Yeah right.” Phillip shot her a disapproving look. “I was there. There was no love lost between you two. God just saved you the headache of a divorce.”

  “I know. But it would look bad. My kids don’t need that kind of stress.” She crossed the room and sat down by him. She laid her hand over his and looked him in the eyes. “However, your wife has been gone for five years.”

  “I know. You don’t have to remind me.” He sighed deeply and looked at the floor. “I just don’t want to talk about it.” I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to talk about it.

  “Maybe you should.”

  “Why? Why do you care so much?”

  “Well, even with our relationship like it was, being alone these last few months has made me realize how lonely you must feel.”

  He just looked at her. He wasn’t one to talk much.

  Just then the back door opened, and they saw Zane’s head pop in. “Hey, you two, are you coming back outside anytime soon?”

  “Hi, Zane,” Phillip said with a little too much sarcasm.

  “Seriously, Mom sent me in to get you guys.” He opened the door wide and stepped back. “We don’t want to keep the lady waiting, now do we? We’re getting ready to eat.”

  The three went outside to join the rest of the family and friends gathered around the picnic tables. After everyone had taken their seats Carl stood at the head of the table to give thanks for the meal, and friends and family. When he finished praying, he looked up and said with a grin, “Dig in.”

  He didn’t have to say it twice. Everyone started chattering and passing bowls. It was very boisterous. So much so, that no one noticed at first when Tracy Lewis walked in the side gate to the back yard.

  In the month that had passed since Luke’s grandpa’s death, no one had heard from, or seen Tracy. They had all started to calm down, and get comfortable, thinking she had finally moved on. Or at least, were hoping she had. Now, sitting around the picnic tables in Carl and Jamie’s back yard, they knew they had been wrong in letting their guard down. They were all in such a state of shock, that no one moved or said a word at first. No one could understand how she would dare show up here.

  “Well, isn’t this quaint?” she asked with a sneer. More like gross. All this family togetherness is just disgusting. What does Luke see in these people?

  Carl jumped up and stepped toward Luke and Mindi like he meant to protect them. Luke had stood up as well, so Carl stepped around in front of him. “What are you doing here? You weren’t invited.” Carl came off almost hostile. Anyone else with more sense would have taken that as their cue to leave. If she thinks she’s going to get to Luke here, she’s dead wrong.

  “Now, why is that? Luke’s here. There are others that aren’t part of the family,” she said, sticking her nose up in the air like family was a dirty word. “Nosey Mr. Trashy Tagert’s even here. Don’t you think it was rude not to invite me?”

  “You’re pushing your luck. You know why you weren’t invited. And your insults are unacceptable.” He kept himself between Tracy and Luke, even though he could feel Luke trying to get around him. “You need to leave before we have to call the police.”

  “Oh, come on. I’m not dangerous.” She started to walk toward the tables. “Even James is here,” she sneered. “And he’s not even the right color. Why wasn’t I invited?” she asked, starting to whine.

  “Tracy, James is my best friend. And I don’t appreciate you making disparaging remarks about him,” Luke said, the anger obvious in his tone.

  “He’s just a dumb black guy,” Tracy said with a smirk, looking over at James.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s smarter than the rest of us here.”

  “Yeah, right. Whatever.”

  “You obviously don’t understand the true definition of family. James is as much a part of this family as any of the other people here. We don’t care what color his skin is.” If it were possible, Carl’s tone became even more hostile. “And if you insult one more of my friends or family, I will bodily remove you from my property myself.” Just then Carl noticed Zane, Mark and James stand up with him. Maybe I won’t, but someone sure will.

  “You tried to kill Luke. Just because there wasn’t enough evidence for them to charge you, doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. Everybody here knows that.”

  “Why don’t you let Luke speak for himself?”

  “Luke is free to speak for himself, and he knows that. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m not letting you near him.”

  Luke tried to get around the big man once again. Finally, he gave up and just looked around Carl’s shoulder. “Tracy, you need to leave. I don’t want anything to do with you. You’re sick. You need to get help before you do hurt someone, or yourself.”

  “Luke, I’m not sick. I love you. You love me too. I know you do.” If you don’t, you and the little whore are going to pay. Big time.

  “Please Luke, you need to leave with me.” Carl stepped in front of her when she moved to go around him. “It’s obvious I’m not welcome here. If you love me, you’ll leave with me.”

  “Tracy, I’m not leaving with you. I don’t love you. I’ve told you this before. You need to leave.” God. This woman is a lunatic.

  Tracy became very angry when she heard this, and started shouting. “I'll be back. This isn’t over. You’re going to regret the way you’ve treated me. You’re going to want me back, but it’s going to be too late.” She turned toward Mindi with her next statement. “You’re going to pay for this.”

  Mindi looked surprised. “What did I do to you?” I had nothing to do with Luke breaking up with you.

  “Oh, please. Everybody knows he thinks he’s in love with you.” You little tramp.

  Mindi was stunned into silence. She didn’t have a response for that. If he’s in love with me the way she says it, everybody knows it.

  Luke had moved over in front of Mindi, the same way Carl had moved over in front of him. “Tracy, you can’t blame Mindi for your problems.
You need help.” Oh God. I’m going to die. Mindi’s never going to speak to me again.

  “We’d still be together if it wasn’t for her.”

  “I broke things off with you because you were getting really weird. You were starting to stalk me when we weren’t together.”

  “I was just trying to show you how much I loved you.” What is wrong with you? Don’t you realize you’re better than all these people?

  “You need to go.” And you can’t make it too soon.

  “I’ll go for now.” She sounded angry again. “But this isn’t over.”

  The back yard fell silent as everybody watched Tracy leave through the gate. Slowly, everybody went back to eating. Eventually the tension melted away enough, everybody started talking again, and soon it was like she had never come.

  Except for Mindi and Luke. They were both silent for the rest of the meal. Luke was worrying about Tracy coming after Mindi. Mindi was reeling from what Tracy had said about Luke being in love with her, and everybody knowing it. Her family had been telling her for a couple of years. But Tracy was implying the whole town knew.

  Apparently, everybody knew except for her. And she still wasn’t sure she believed it.

  *******

  Luke walked into the kitchen with a stack of dirty dishes from outside. Mindi was standing at the sink rinsing platters and loading them into the dishwasher. When she heard him come, in she turned to take the load that he brought in.

  “I’m surprised you’re still here. Everybody else has left,” she said, the tension showing in her voice. I know I feel like running.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get out of your hair as soon as I’ve helped clean up,” he answered her with a bite to his tone. Dang it. Now she doesn’t want me here.

  Great. Now she felt like she had hurt his feelings. He seemed angry now. “That’s not what I meant. I just figured with everything that went on, you might be ready to get out of here. I’m not trying to run you off. I would never do that.”