by Nicole James
Steve turned and smiled. “They’re ready. Hand me a platter.”
Everyone was gathered around a picnic table that Summer had covered with a red gingham tablecloth. Steve brought over the platter of steaks, and everyone began to pass the food around.
They all ate and talked about the week. Cary told a funny story about a curious cow that watched him mending fence all day and they all laughed. After everyone was through, Summer brought out an apple pie that she had baked from an old recipe she found. It must have been good, because before she knew it, there was nothing left of it.
Later, while they were all sitting around the table, Cary had an idea. “Hey, it’s a beautiful night tonight, and there’s gonna be a full moon. Why don’t we take the ATV’s out for a ride?”
“Oh, Daddy, can we, please?” Jessie begged.
“I guess so, if everyone wants to take a ride. How about it, Summer? Are you up for a ride?” Steve asked.
“I…I suppose.”
“You may want to grab a sweatshirt. It’s warm now, but it could turn cool,” he told her.
Twenty minutes later, Summer came outside with a sweatshirt, borrowed from Jessie. Steve was strapping a small cooler onto the back of one of the two ATV’s with a bungee cord. “What’s in there?” she asked.
“Drinks,” he replied.
Cary was on the other ATV, with Jessie holding on behind him.
Steve finished with the cooler and climbed on his. He fired it up, turned back to Summer, and patted the seat behind him. She put a foot on the peg and flung her leg over. “You ready?” Steve asked over his shoulder.
She nodded.
“Hold on,” he warned and reached back to wrap her arms around him. Then with a twist of his wrist on the throttle, they sprang forward, and down the dirt path into the field. They crossed the rolling pasture and headed down a dirt road up into the hills.
It was a gentle ride, nothing too fast or too steep, and Summer loved it. She felt the wind on her face and blowing through her hair. As the ATV went over bumps and potholes it gently rocked from side to side, feeling to Summer like she was on the back of a horse. They rode across a small, shallow creek and through a wooded area; the trees formed a canopy over their heads. The moonlight filtering through the branches lit their way. Summer looked up and marveled at how beautiful it was.
They climbed higher and higher, and finally the dirt road came out into a clearing. They had ridden for almost an hour. Steve stopped at the top of a bluff; Cary and Jessie came flying up beside them and stopped. Steve and Cary both cut the motors off, and it was quiet. Summer looked out at the view. From where they had stopped, she could see for miles. “It’s so beautiful.”
Steve reached back with his hand and rubbed his palm on her thigh. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?”
Summer’s eyes moved from the view to his profile. He loved this land. She could hear it in his voice. It was almost as if it was a precious gift that he fully appreciated. It touched her to know he had such reverence for the land around his home.
They all climbed off.
Steve opened the cooler. “Anyone thirsty?” He passed out drinks. They all popped the tops and drank. Steve walked over to where Summer was standing, admiring the view of the valley below.
“So, where does your property start and stop?” she turned to ask him.
He stood behind her and pointed over her shoulder. “See that patch of woods over there to the right?”
She looked to where he pointed. “Yes.”
“From there all the way over to the river over there.” He pointed to the far left towards a ribbon of water reflecting the moonlight.
She turned her head to look at him. “All that?” Their faces were inches apart, and he stared down into her eyes. “Yes, ma’am. All that.”
She looked back at the view, amazed. My God, when he’d been admiring the view, she hadn’t realized he owned it all.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. “It is pretty, isn’t it?”
Cary and Jessie walked away from the edge of the bluff to some large boulders, climbed up, and sat on them. Cary lit a cigarette. They were out of earshot of Steve and Summer. “So, I think your dad likes her. How do you feel about that?” he asked Jessie.
She studied her father and Summer for a moment. “I like her, and I know Daddy’s been lonely. He seems happier, lately. Don’t you think?” She turned to look at Cary.
“Yeah, I think so, too.” He looked down at her.
“But…” she began, and then turned to look back at where her father and Summer stood.
“But, what?” Cary prompted.
“I don’t know. I guess…I guess I’m afraid he’s going to get hurt,” she said, turning back to look at him. “She’s going to leave eventually, right? I mean she’s got a life somewhere.”
Cary didn’t say anything. He turned to look out over the horizon and took a hit off his cigarette. “That may be, Jessie, but…even if it’s just for a little while, it’s been a long time since your dad felt…well, like that,” he said softly, nodding toward the pair.
Jessie turned to follow his gaze and saw her father standing there behind Summer, his arms wrapped around her, his head bent to her ear. He looked content, happy. She wanted that for him, but still worried about him.
Cary reached up and put his arm around her, his hand on her shoulder. He rocked her from side to side. “Quit worrying. Your old man can take care of himself.”
Jessie looked up at him and smiled. “I suppose you’re right.”
Chapter Seven
Summer pulled out of the parking spot on Main Street, pulled to the intersection, and made a right turn onto the next side street. She noticed right away that something was wrong with the truck. It wasn’t turning very easily, and there was a thumping noise.
She pulled to the curb and climbed out. The front tire was flat. Shoot, she thought to herself, now what? She stood with her hands on her hips. I guess I change a tire, that’s what! She looked down at herself. She was wearing a strappy pair of high-heeled sandals and the white, eyelet sundress that she’d purchased from Miss Myra. Perfect, she thought, this dress is about to be ruined.
“Excuse me, ma’am?”
Summer turned to see a black tow truck stopped in the opposite lane. Justin’s Garage was painted on the side in gold.
The driver leaned out the open driver’s window. “You need any help with that, ma’am?”
Before she could answer, he got out and walked over to her. He was about Steve’s age, she guessed, about six feet tall with short, dark hair, a goatee and the prettiest brown eyes she’d ever seen.
“Let me take a look at that for you, ma’am,” he offered, bending down and examining the tread. A moment later he stood back up. “Picked up a nail. I can fix it for you over at my shop. Won’t take five minutes.”
“Umm, well, that would be wonderful. Thank you,” Summer said, smiling at him.
“My name’s Justin Morgan. I’d shake your hand, but I wouldn’t want to get your hands dirty.” He looked down at his palms, smeared with black grease and dirt, and smiled back at her.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Morgan. Call me Summer.”
“Summer,” he repeated, nodding. “You must be the woman staying out at the Garrett place.”
“Yes, that’s right. How did you know?”
“I recognize the truck,” he said, nodding toward it.
“Of course,” she replied, embarrassed.
“Well, let me hook it up, and I’ll pull it to the shop. It’ll be easier to just put it up on the rack, than to mess with a jack on the street.”
“Okay. I really appreciate the help. If it’s not too much trouble, that is?”
“No. No trouble. The tow truck’s right here,” he gestured over his shoulder, explaining as if she wasn’t quite right.
“Yes. Yes, of course. I just meant, you’re probably a busy man, and…”
He’d already headed
back to his tow truck. He climbed in, whipped it around, and backed it up to the pickup. Climbing out, he began hooking her truck up. “Summer, you may want to stand on the sidewalk while I get this done.”
“Oh, right. Let me just get my purse.” She opened the door, bent over, and grabbed her purse. Slamming the door shut, she turned. He was standing there, watching her. She noticed his eyes on her legs, and then they slid up to her face, and he just smiled. “What?” she asked.
“Nothing. Just waiting for you to get out of the way, darlin’.”
“Oh, right.” She moved up on the curb, embarrassed.
In a matter of minutes, he had the pickup hooked up. He walked around to the passenger side of the tow truck and opened the door. Turning, with his hand on the door, he looked over at her and asked, “Ready?”
She climbed in, her cotton dress hiking up above her knees as she did. She noticed he didn’t miss it, his eyes skating over her legs.
“All set?” he asked, as she pulled down her hem.
“Yes, thank you.”
He smiled and slammed the door shut, walking around the truck.
While he did, she glanced around the inside of the tow truck. There was a soda can in the cup holder, a pack of cigarettes and a cell phone on the seat, along with what appeared to be gas station and ATM receipts tucked half in the fold of the seat.
The driver’s door opened, and the truck shifted with his weight as he climbed inside. He started the engine and pulled away. At the next corner, he made a turn and continued down for a few blocks.
She saw the garage on the right. It was an old cement block building, painted white with red trim. It looked like it had probably been built back in the twenties or thirties. There was a tiny office on the right and three garage doors on the left.
Turning into the lot, Justin pushed a remote clipped to his visor. One of the glass garage doors began to slowly roll up. He pulled into the open bay and rolled slowly forward until he had the pickup positioned over the lift.
Summer noticed there was another set of overhead doors on the opposite side, straight in front of them.
Justin opened his door and climbed out. He moved some levers in the back, and the pickup truck slowly lowered. Then he began unhooking the chains.
Summer climbed out her door and stood to the side. She looked around the inside of his shop, as he’d called it. It was an old stone building with three bays. The ceiling showed exposed open rafters to the roof. There were three overhead, old-style, metal lamps hanging down. There was a workbench against the sidewall and parts scattered everywhere. The other two bays contained vehicles, both in a state of repair, one up on a lift, the other with the hood open.
Movement drew her attention away from her study of the shop, and she glanced over to see Justin climbing back into the tow truck.
He started it up, pressed a button on the remote on the visor again, and the glass overhead doors in front of the truck began to rise up. Then he pulled the tow truck forward through the doors and around the side of the building.
A moment later, he walked back into the garage and over to Summer. He dug in his pocket and held two quarters out to her. “There’s a soda machine in the corner over there, and there’s an office through that door if you want to sit down. There’s air conditioning in there.” He nodded to the door on the right wall. “This won’t take long.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks,” Summer replied, turning to look where he’d indicated. She looked back at him and reached up to take the coins. She watched as he walked over to the lift and set the supports under the truck frame.
He took an air ratchet and loosened the lug nuts on the tire. Then he pushed a button on the lift, and the truck began to rise. He finished taking off the lug nuts and took the tire down. He took it to the side and used a tool to yank out the nail. Then he began patching it.
He glanced up at her, noticing she hadn’t moved.
Turning, she walked over to the soda machine, deposited the quarters, and pressed a button. The can dropped with a heavy thud, and she bent to retrieve it. She popped the top open and took a sip, her eyes closing as the cold beverage slid down her dry throat. Opening her eyes, she saw him looking over at her.
When he saw her looking back, Justin turned back to the tire.
Summer turned, self-consciously and walked through the doorway into the office. It was a tiny room, taken up mostly by the huge old wooden desk and matching old wooden swivel chair. There was a pair of metal chairs facing the desk. Behind them, to the right, was a door leading to the outside and beside it a small, five-foot by five-foot plate-glass window. Justin’s Garage was painted on it in gold lettering.
Summer gingerly sat in one of the metal chairs facing the desk with her purse in her lap and glanced around the room. The first thing she noticed was that everything in the room was covered with a coating of dust. There was no computer, not even a modern phone, but an old black rotary-dial model. There were copies of receipts for auto parts stores and invoices to customers scattered across the desk. Parts catalogs and repair manuals were stacked haphazardly on one corner of the desk. Summer thought it wouldn’t take more than a good nudge to send the whole pile crashing to the floor, but apparently they had been there for a while, judging by the thick coating of dust on them.
She glanced up, noting a mounted fish of some kind and a deer’s head hanging on the wall behind the desk. Old pin-up calendars from years ago still hung on the walls. A small window to her right held an old window air-conditioning unit. It hummed loudly as it struggled to keep the small office a temperature that one could only consider to be, slightly cooler than outside.
After a few more minutes, the office door leading to the garage opened, and Justin came in, along with a rush of hot air. He had a can of soda in his hand, and he took a long hit off of it. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he looked down at Summer. “All ready to go, ma’am.”
“Oh, thank you so much. You’re a life saver.” Summer opened her purse and asked him, “How much do I owe you?”
“No charge, darlin’.”
“What?” Summer looked up at him stunned. “I have to pay you for your time.”
“I said, no charge. Don’t insult me. Did you think I’d leave a pretty lady like you struggling to change a tire on a beat up old pickup? And you in a dress and heels at that.”
“I would have managed somehow.”
He laughed. “Yeah, right.” Smiling unapologetically, he took another hit off his drink.
“I beg your pardon?”
He stood and turned toward the door. “Come on, Summer.”
She followed him out into the garage and watched as he backed the truck out for her, then got out and held the door open while she climbed inside.
Slamming the door shut, he leaned in the open window, his arms folded on the frame.
“Well, thank you again, Mr. Morgan.”
“Justin,” he corrected.
“Justin.”
He tossed a business card on the dash. “Call me if you have any problems, and tell Steve I said hello.”
“Yes, I will. Thank you.”
“Take care, now, Summer.” He grinned, then turned and walked back into the garage.
Summer watched him walk away, noticing the roll of his broad shoulders and the way his slim hips moved with his gait. He sure had a sexy walk. She grinned, shook her head and drove home.
*****
Jessie pulled in the drive and parked around back. She got out of the car, glanced over, and saw Cary working on repairing one of the tractors. She could hear him cussing as she approached.
“Damn it!”
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He barely glanced at her. “I’m trying to get this damn piece of crap working again. If I could just get this damn part off,” he said, straining and banging on it with his tools.
“Where’s Summer?”
“Went to town,” he mumbled, continuing his pounding and cussing.
&nbs
p; “Really?”
“Um hmm,” he replied, never looking up from what he was working on.
“Where’s Daddy?”
“Went to get a part for this tractor, and I need to get this one off before he gets back.”
“When will they be back?”
He finally straightened up long enough to answer her. “Look, Jessie. I don’t know. I’ve got work to do here, okay?”
“Fine,” she snapped back, stalking off toward the house.
Cary glanced back at her and shook his head. Christ! Women! Especially that one! Her mood could flip at the drop of a hat.
Jessie stomped into the kitchen and began pacing back and forth, silently fuming. What the hell was his problem? He didn’t have to be so short with her. All she’d done was ask a few simple questions. He’d practically ignored her, standing there, so caught up in his stupid tractor repair. She stopped and tapped her foot. Well, if he thought he could ignore her, he had another thing coming. We’ll just see about that! And then she decided to get his attention in a big way. She marched upstairs and changed outfits.
A few minutes later, she came outside carrying a bucket of soapy water and a sponge. She walked over to the side of the house, her head held high and grabbed up the hose. Turning it on, she hosed down her car. “Well, we’ll just see how long you can ignore this, mister,” she murmured to herself with a smug smile. She began soaping her car up with the sponge.
Cary glanced over at her and did a double take.
There was Jessie, standing there washing her car in nothing but her bikini. And she was putting on quite a show to get his attention. “Goddamn,” he whispered.
Glancing over out of the corner of her eye, Jessie smiled when she saw him watching her.
Cary turned back to the tractor and tried to keep working. That only encouraged her, he soon realized, to get even more animated with her show. He finally could take no more, and he smiled and shook his head. Giving up, he tossed his tools to the ground and walked over to her. “Okay, babe. You got my attention. Jessica Simpson’s got nothing on you.”
She turned innocently to him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”