Sweet Tea and Secrets

by Nancy Naigle

  “Freeze.”

  She threw her arms in the air, eyes wide and darting.

  “Anyone else in the house?”

  “No.” Jill splayed her fingers wider.

  The unexpected guest flipped the living room light switch.

  Jill squinted, her eyes adjusting as slowly as she was to the situation at hand. “Just me. This is my house. Wh-who are you?”

  “We got a report of a strange car at this location. I’m going to need to see some identification.”

  “What?”

  “Identification ma’am. Where’s your ID?”

  “Um. I don’t have it. It’s in the car…I think. My purse? I’m not sure.”

  The officer stepped forward and twisted her arms behind her cuffing them together at the wrist. “Just until we sort this out, ma’am. This house was broken into earlier in the week. Know anything about that?”

  “Who are you? Where’s Scott Calvin?” Jill swung around, trying to understand her predicament. “Am I under arrest?”

  The officer snickered. “Know the sheriff, do you?”

  “Yes. Call him,” she pleaded.

  “So, you’ve been in trouble with the law before.” He spun her around and pushed her to a seated position on the couch.

  “No. I’ve never been arrested. That’s not how I know him. I live here.” Footsteps hurried across the front porch. How many of them are there? Did they send the whole SWAT team after me? Was Bradley behind this?

  Garrett ran into the room. “Thank God. Jill. I thought that was your voice. Are you okay?”

  “What are you doing here? What’s going on?” Jill asked.

  “Where’s your car, and who does that Ford belong to?”

  “Mr. Malloy, please step aside. We asked you to stay outside.” The officer gestured him back toward the door.

  Garrett hesitated to step back and the officer gestured him out of the room again as he turned his attention back to Jill.

  “Ma’am. Is that your car out front?”

  “No…Yes…”

  “Well, which is it?” the deputy ordered.

  “Well, no. The car isn’t mine, but I’m driving it.”

  “Ma’am, who is the car registered to?”

  She tried to push her bangs from her face with her shoulder. “I don’t know. Melanie and Vernon Hines, or their daughter Lindy, maybe.”

  The officer eyed her suspiciously. “Anything we should know about in the vehicle ma’am?”

  She shook her head.

  “Firearms? Drugs?”

  “No, of course not,” she said. “Garrett. Help me!”

  “How much have you had to drink? You seem kind of woozy there.” The deputy clicked his flashlight and danced it back and forth in front of her eyes.

  “I was sleeping.” When did the county hire this yahoo? With that northern accent he sure isn’t from around here.

  He stepped back toward the door to consult with his partner, who had just finished conducting his search of the vehicle. They whispered back and forth, looking serious.

  Garrett stepped toward the men again. “Look. I made a mistake. I saw the strange car with out-of-state tags and I freaked. I thought Jill was in trouble, but she’s right here. My mistake.”

  “You? You called the cops on me?” Jill shouted across the room.

  “I didn’t know it was you.” Garrett’s eyes met hers.

  “Well, thanks a lot. I love getting handcuffed and nearly thrown in jail. That’s a lot of help. You don’t think my week has been bad enough already?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were going to send Dirty Harry.” Garrett raised a hand toward the officer who shot him a less than pleased look. “No offense.”

  “None taken.” The officer walked over to Jill and uncuffed her. “Looks like everything is in order, Mrs. Clemmons.”

  “Miss.” Jill corrected him, and withdrew her hands. “And what’s your name? I take it your new around here.”

  He dipped his hat. “Dan Taylor. That’s Deputy Dan Taylor. I’m from up north, just took the job down here a few months ago.”

  “Oh,” was all she could say without launching into a speech about what constituted appropriate behavior in these parts, even for law enforcement officers. She couldn’t believe Scott would hire someone like him.

  “Miss Clemmons. We’ll be moving on now,” the deputy said, turning on his heel and heading back to his cruiser.

  “Thanks,” she said half-heartedly.

  “I guess my imagination got the best of me,” Garrett explained. “You can’t know how worried I was. If anything...”

  “It’s okay,” she answered, rubbing her wrists dramatically.

  “Where’s Clyde, and where did you get the beater?” Garrett asked.

  “Aaaagh. It’s a long story. I need coffee.” She headed to the kitchen with Garrett following close behind.

  Jill filled a paper filter with coffee grounds and started the coffee.

  Garrett sat at the table. “I just got back in town. I had a feeling you were in trouble or something was wrong. I decided to check on you. When I saw the strange car, I panicked. It took everything I had not to come in here myself. I wish I had now. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to create this fiasco.”

  “If I weren’t so furious, I’d be laughing. What a way to wake up.” She ran her hand through her bangs. “But it’s okay. Really. I know you were trying to help.”

  “So how did you happen to trade your new BMW for an old Mustang since yesterday afternoon?”

  “I went to Savannah last night and, let’s just say, it’s a long story. I had to borrow my girlfriend’s daughter’s car to get back.”

  “Okay. Where’s Clyde?”

  “In the kennel. I didn’t know how long I’d be gone.”

  “You could’ve let me know you were going somewhere,” Garrett said. “I’d have been happy to take care of Clyde for you.”

  “I know. It was last minute and you were out of town.” She didn’t feel like dwelling on that. “Hey Garrett, can I ask you something?”

  “Are you changing the subject?”

  “You noticed.” She cast him a sideways glance.

  “Yeah, I did. What do you want to know?”

  “Remember that night when you accused me…”

  “I didn’t accuse you.” His tone was cool.

  “...when I thought you were accusing me of sleeping with Bradley.”

  “Yeah. I remember that night…every night.” His expression turned dark.

  “Why did you ask me about that?” she half whispered.

  “You know why.”

  “Tell me again,” she pleaded, her eyes begging him.

  “Because someone told me you were and I didn’t believe them.”

  “You never told me who told you that.”

  “Bradley.”

  She shook her head. “I was so hurt. I’d always been faithful to you. You were my whole life.”

  “That’s why I didn’t believe it.”

  Jill took a deep breath, and braced herself. Do I even want to ask this? “What about the blonde?”

  “I’ve always been faithful to you too,” he answered, without hesitation.

  “The pictures?”

  Garrett shrugged. “I don’t know. I swear I don’t. I’ve tried to think of a logical explanation. I can’t come up with one that doesn’t call Bradley a liar or manipulator.” He shifted, his voice becoming softer. “You’ve got to believe me. Why would I lie now? I’ve already lost you.”

  She watched him for any sign of guilt. No mouth shrugs. No twitching. “When the pictures showed up it seemed indisputable.”

  “I would never hurt you.”

  “I used to believe that,” she said.

  “You know what bothers me most? You believed a guy you’d just met over me, who you’ve known your whole life.”

  She tilted her head and pursed her lips as she considered. “I guess I just expected more from you.” Every
thing made perfect sense at the time. Not so much now. “It still hurts, even after all this time.”

  “I don’t know how to convince you. I just pray someday you’ll at least forgive me, even if you can’t believe me.”

  “I hadn’t planned to go to Savannah today. It just suddenly all got clear for me, and I didn’t want you to weigh in on the decision. It needed to be all mine.”

  “What decision?”

  “I broke it off with Bradley. I couldn’t do that to him.”

  “Do what?”

  “I’m not in love with him. I know the other night was innocent, but being in your arms…it was the best I’ve felt in a long time.”

  “Oh Jill,” he whispered, and stepped in to hold her. “Me, too.” He stroked her hair. “You scared the hell out of me.”

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  “How did he take the news?”

  “That’s a story for another day.” Jill relaxed into his arms, her hands exploring the strong muscles in his back. Each of her breaths matched his, like it was meant to be. “I realized I wasn’t going to be with Bradley, but that doesn’t mean you and I are getting back together. I don’t want to make any promises. This is all happening so fast.”

  “Why don’t you come with me today,” Garrett suggested. “It’s going to be a scorcher. I need to go into Richmond to pick up supplies for one of the building sites. I’d love your company.”

  “I think I need a little alone time today.”

  “I understand, but don’t you go running off again without telling me.”

  “I’m a big girl. I can make adult decisions all by myself.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way. Just until we get all the break-in stuff resolved, okay?”

  She raised her fingers in a girl scout’s honor. “Promise.”

  “I’ll pick up Clyde and bring him back before I head out this morning. I don’t want you here alone.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It’s the least I could do after getting you handcuffed and nearly frisked.”

  “Truly. Deputy Dan is not exactly the image I had in mind with the whole handcuffed, I’m a bad girl, fantasy,” she teased.

  “Really? And just what does your fantasy guy look like? Anyone I know? Me, maybe?”

  “Quit it. I was kidding. But I may decide to milk this for all it’s worth.”

  “I’m at your mercy. You name it.”

  “Careful now. I just might hold you to that and then you’ll really find out the meaning of high maintenance.”

  “I’m up for the challenge.” He headed out the door. “I’ll see you at the other end of the day.”

  Jill followed behind him. Once the door clicked closed, she went and knelt on the couch with the window sheer pulled to the right.

  He gave her a nod as he drove by.

  She waved. Her eyes and nose tickled. Happy tears. What a bizarre chain of events. She turned and plopped back onto the couch, resting her head on the arm. She stared at the swirled plaster ceiling, counting circles as she had so many times as a young girl. She prayed to God and pleaded for Pearl, too, to help her untangle this complex situation. She used to have such a simple life. No worries, no hurries.

  Suddenly, the adrenaline rush she’d been running on since the sheriff’s department burst in took a dive. She headed to the kitchen for coffee. After finishing one cup and pouring the next, she heard the door of the pickup slam. Clyde’s heavy paws stomped up the front porch to the house. Clomp, clomp, clomp. There was nothing quiet or sneaky about him. He’d starve if he had to hunt for food.

  Garrett shouted from the door that he’d see her later. By the time she got to the door he’d already cleared the driveway. She stood waving at his brake lights, wishing he’d stopped back in for just one quick minute.

  Scenarios ran through her head all day. Should she just invite Garrett to stay and sleep over? Obviously, they’d done so the other night with no problem. Or should she go back to her original plan for them to lead separate lives and learn how to become trusted friends again?

  She thought the latter was the right thing to do, but it wasn’t what she wanted to do. On the other hand, did she know what she wanted?

  She’d called Carolanne to discuss the situation, but Carolanne had been no help. After all, Carolanne was all for a reconciliation between Jill and Garrett.

  Jill spent all day rehearsing the speech she’d give to Garrett—talking to Clyde, to the mirror and to the daisies as she weeded the garden. She even tried the speech out on her blow dryer as she worked her hair into submission before he got home…er back. She practiced telling him he needed to trust that she would call if she needed help, and that he needed to go back to sleeping at his house—all night long.

  She thought she was ready until she saw Garrett climb out of his truck. He looked tan in a blue-and-white striped, short sleeve shirt, tucked into Wranglers. A straw western hat finished off the perfect cowboy look that had always looked so natural on him. He headed toward the house with a Cracker Barrel bag in hand. She loved the way he walked. Straight, shoulders back, confident.

  “What’s in that bag?” Jill leaned nonchalantly on the door jamb.

  He lifted the bag casually. “Crackers?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Hmmm?” He peered down into the large brown bag and exaggerated a big whiff. “It smells like…oh yes, it must be hash brown casserole.”

  “Man, you play dirty,” she said. “You know that’s my favorite.”

  “Yep. And there are a bunch of Cracker Barrels off of I-95 between Richmond and here.”

  She reached for the bag. “What else do you have in there?”

  He snagged it from her reach. “Mmm. I think it’s...” He dove his head back in again. “...oh yeah, country fried steak.”

  She feigned wooziness and leaned against the porch column. “Oh, no.” Whose side was God and Pearl on? They were arming Garrett with every possible type of ammo to take her down, even her favorite food.

  He wrapped a friendly arm around her waist and tugged her toward the door. “Dinner’s on me.”

  “Careful. I could get used to this.”

  He spread the plastic dishes across the dining room table. Jill poured sweet tea into aluminum tumblers and grabbed the napkins, forks and knives. She could smell the peppery gravy from across the room.

  Garrett took a chair and patted the one next to him. “Let’s dig in. I’m starved.”

  They ate while Garrett recapped his trip to Richmond. Jill kept trying to find the right moment to interject the speech she’d practiced all day.

  After the meal, Garrett scooched his chair back from the table and held his plate to the side for Clyde to clean up. The dog made quick service of it. “Well, I guess I’d better get home and shower.”

  She jumped at the opening. “And then tuck yourself in your bed for the night.”

  “You trying to tell me what to do, lady?” He stood and lifted his cowboy hat back to his head.

  “I can’t stand you sleeping out in the truck. It keeps me from getting any rest at all.”

  He moved behind her chair and pressed his hands on her shoulders. He gripped her muscles and squeezed gently. “So what are we going to do? I can’t sleep if I’m not here and you can’t sleep if I am.”

  She raised and dropped her shoulders, then leaned her head back and looked up at him. “I don’t know.”

  “You slept pretty well the other night.” He leaned forward and pressed his mouth over hers. The kiss was slow and deep. He pulled back. The legs of the chair screeched against the hardwood floors as he scooted her back from the table.

  She grabbed the edge of the seat to keep her balance.

  Garrett squatted in front of her. “Jill. This two-step we’re doing is driving me crazy. I know you’ve been through a heck of an emotional week, and the timing probably couldn’t be worse, but...”

  She looked toward Clyde—anything to not have to face this subject.
>
  He tipped her chin back to face him, his eyes set on hers.

  “What?” she said, barely above a whisper.

  “Let me stay here. No pressure. You set the pace. I’ll sleep on the couch.” Garrett pushed his hat back on his head a little. “How can I regain your trust if you never give me the chance?”

  “You don’t play fair.” She took his hat and put it on her head. “Alright, cowboy. You can stay.”

  He started to respond, but she kissed him quickly on the lips.

  He smiled and grabbed his hat. “I’m going to run home and grab a change of clothes before you change your mind. I’ll be back in a shot.”

  “Okay.” The practice all afternoon had been a complete waste of time and energy. She’d crumbled like toast. Oh well, nothing to do now but to live with her decision and hope it was the right one. She looked heavenward.

  Pearl, this was your doing, wasn’t it?

  Jill went to the linen closet. The crisp line-dried sheets smelled faintly of bleach and lavender. She changed the linens on the bed for Garrett and then made up the couch for herself.

  She heard Garrett knock and come in the front door as she stood in front of the dresser, trying to decide what to sleep in. The silky pajamas she’d bought the other day would be a little too suggestive for a sleep over. She opted for the bottoms of one set with an oversized t-shirt she found in the bottom of one of the drawers. He couldn’t confuse this outfit for a seduction. Proud of her decision, she headed to the shower. When she came back into the living room, Garrett was sitting in front of the television in Pearl’s favorite chair, petting Clyde.

  She stretched out across the couch and caught herself falling asleep during the eleven o’clock news. She snuggled against the pillow, feeling safe.

  ***

  When Jill woke up, her body ached. She sat up, rubbing her lower back and stretching to work out the kinks. She’d slept hard and was thankful for it, but there wasn’t anything soft or comfortable about the couch. That’s probably why it had lasted for at least twenty years that she knew of.

  Garrett stepped out of the kitchen with a coffee cup in his hand. “I thought I heard you stirring in here.” He plopped down on the couch and pushed one of the steaming mugs her way.

  “Mmm, smells good. I slept hard. I didn’t wake up once, but this couch is the pits.”