Sweet Tea and Secrets (23 page)

“It hasn’t been that long.”

“Feels like a lifetime ago.”

“I brought something for you too, boy.” Garrett stooped in front of Clyde who was drooling even more than usual from the aroma coming from that bag.

“No, not food.” Garrett reached into his back pocket, pulled out a navy blue bandanna, and folded it corner to corner. He whipped the pocket knife from his belt and sliced the yarn to free Clyde from the girly pink towel around his neck. Garrett flipped the bandanna around Clyde’s neck, then tied a knot with the two corners.

“That’s more like it.” Satisfied, Garrett flipped the blade closed and pushed his knife back into the holder on his belt.

Jill walked up behind him. “What do we have here? Cowboy Clyde?”

“You can’t expect him to run around in pink and take care of you, too. It’s just not right.”

“He does do the cowboy thing pretty well.”

“You’re welcome,” Garrett said. “Both of you.”

“Let’s eat.” Jill handed a couple of the containers to Garrett to carry to the living room.

They ate from the cardboard boxes sitting Indian style around the coffee table in front of the television.

“Oh man. I love that show,” said Jill, when the commercial for the next season of
Survivor
came on. They’d been diehard fans since the first show.“I was so busy with the Kase Foundation I didn’t see much television last year, but no one will ever be as good as the season Big Tom was on,” Jill said.

“I think Tom was putting on that redneck act so people wouldn’t think he was a threat.”

Jill swirled a spicy piece of chicken in the air. “It worked. He made me laugh. I can still see him dancing around. Remember that?” She jumped to her feet and flapped her arms in her best Big Tom imitation.

Clyde ran around the room, excited by her antics.

She plopped down and finished eating.

“That hit the spot.” She held the empty pint container toward Clyde who lapped the sauce from the sides of the cardboard. Then he trotted off with the box to finish. He settled on the floor, hugging the carton between his giant paws like a bear.

“You two are getting along well,” Garrett said.

“Men. All the same. You get to their hearts through their tummies, y’know.”

“You mean y’all don’t just do that to fatten us up so we aren’t marketable anymore?”

“Well yeah, that too. But we mostly do it because you love it.”

“Does that mean you’ll be doing some baking for me soon?”

She lay back, flat on the floor. “Don’t push your luck.” She lifted her knees up and groaned. “Lord, my back is aching. I might have moved a few too many boxes in the attic yesterday.”

Garrett rolled his shoulders. “You’re not the only one with a crick or two.”

“No one asked you to sleep in your truck.”

“If I didn’t, I’d worry all night.”

“Nothing has happened.”

“Maybe that’s because I’ve been sleeping in your yard?” He lifted a brow.

“Not last night.”

“That’s what you think. I came late and left early.”

“You sneak.” How could she be mad?

“You’re safe,” Garrett said. “And that’s what matters.”

“Point taken, but this can’t go on.”

“You
could
invite me to sleep in the house. I could sleep right here on the couch.”

“The whole town probably already thinks you are sleeping here. If they knew what was really going on they’d think you’re a crazy stalker, and people always find out around here.”

“Crazy or not, Pearl would haunt me if something happened to you. What choice do I have?”

“You can take the bed.”

“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No. You’re too tall for the couch. My way or no deal. Deal?”

“Deal. Sit up. I’ll rub your shoulders.” He inched closer and started kneading her back.

Jill relaxed into his strong hands, rolling her neck from side to side. “Aaaaaaaaaah. You always did give the best back rubs. I’ll give you five days to stop that.”

“Feels good?”

“Heaven,” she said.

“Like old times.”

“You haven’t lost your touch. Who’ve you been practicing on?” A flash of Becky popped into her mind.

“Just hush and enjoy.” After a good five minutes he finally stopped and hugged her from behind.

She leaned back into his lap.

“I have to drive up to Pittsburgh tomorrow to meet with the metal roofing manufacturer. I can do it in one day but it’s an easier two-day trip. Want to join me?”

She sat up and then paused. “I think I’ll pass. I’m not sure I can trust you.”

“Oh, you can trust me, but that’s okay. I’ll make the trip in one day then. Now, lie back down.” He tapped the floor.

She stretched out on the floor in front of him. “No fair. You know my weakness for backrubs.”

“I’ll behave, scout’s honor.”

She relaxed and then lifted her head. “Wait a second. You were never a boy scout.”

“Well, I was for two meetings.”

“I don’t think that counts.”

“I did get my courtesy badge.”

“Well, that makes all the difference.”

Under the relaxation of his palms and fingers, she was fast asleep in less than ten minutes.

***

The next morning, Jill opened her eyes to a blur of bright red. She lifted her head, squinting until her eyes focused. A trio of flowers nestled on the pillow beside her on the floor. Gerber daises—two red and one vivid yellow— with a note tucked between them.

She shifted up onto her elbow. The note said that Garrett would be back sometime late the next afternoon or sooner.

She rolled over lazily and stretched. Sometime in the evening he’d covered her with a blanket. She picked up one of the daisies and spun it between her fingers. Clyde came running in from the kitchen, a red daisy pinned to his bandana.

Clyde hovered over her, breathing heavy, his lips flopping out with each pant. He looked huge from this position. She smiled and rubbed his head.

She’d experience the gamut of emotions, the highs and lows, and now back to the comfort of old routines with Garrett.
Was there a chance if we tried again, the relationship might work?
She felt as if someone had turned back time and she’d been transported to that happy place she’d thought she lost a year ago. The one she once shared with Garrett. But she did have some responsibilities in Savannah she had to tend to. The Kase Foundation, for one.

She twisted a flower under Clyde’s nose.

He sniffed and then sneezed, drenching her.

“Uuuuuugh. You sneeze like a whale. Cover your blow hole.” She lifted herself up off the floor and headed for the shower.

After Jill showered and got dressed, she headed out back to get lost in the mundane task of weeding the garden.

Before long, the temperature soared to an uncomfortable level. She could hear Clyde panting under the shade of a tree clear across the yard.

As soon as she stood up, he was at her side, looking very hopeful that she was going to take him back inside. She patted his head and he plodded along behind her to escape the heat of the afternoon.

She plopped down in the kitchen chair and took a long sip of the sweet tea she’d left there earlier. The ice had melted, but the cool liquid quenched her thirst.

As she stared off at nothing, suddenly everything became clear.

She needed to wrap up her business with the Foundation and end her relationship with Bradley. She didn’t need that job, and she didn’t need him. Her heart wasn’t in that relationship. If it hadn’t been for the big charity event, she’d have left a long time ago. She knew exactly what she needed to do.

Jill rushed down the hall, tossed a couple items in an overnight bag, and swept her purse into her arms without missing a step. She slapped her thigh to get Clyde’s attention. “Come on, buddy. You’re going on a little trip.”

He trotted outside with her but didn’t want any part of getting into her car. Twice he jumped in then turned around and hopped out before she could close the door. Once, she urged him in. But by the time she got around to the driver’s side, Clyde was in her seat behind the wheel, unwilling to move.

“Clyde. This is not a game.” She nudged him but he wouldn’t budge.

Finally, she tricked him by putting a cherry lifesaver in the passenger seat. When he lunged for the candy, she jumped behind the steering wheel and headed to the Adams Grove kennel, only a short drive away. They were happy to take Clyde, even without an appointment. After wiping the drool off the dashboard and passenger window, Jill jumped on I-95 and gunned the engine, heading toward Savannah. She had business to take care of.

***

At just after nine that the evening, Jill pulled her car in the driveway of Bradley’s estate. Funny, she’d never realized before that she thought about this place as Bradley’s estate, not her home. That was telling in itself.

A couple of lights were on, but that didn’t mean anything. The elaborate security system powered things on and off in intervals to make the house look busy even when they were away.

Bradley’s Lexus was in the driveway. An odd twinge of disappointment ran through her. She’d hoped he wouldn’t be home yet and she could ready herself for what was sure to be an unpleasant conversation. But then again, if all her self-talk on the six-hour drive hadn’t readied her, she’d never be ready.

She parked her car behind his, and walked up the path to the house. She tapped the code into the keypad next to the front door and pushed the heavy door with her shoulder.

Jill took a steadying breath and set her purse on the front entry table. She leaned into Bradley’s office on the first floor. He wasn’t there. Somewhat relieved, she took her overnight bag up to the bedroom and tossed it on the floor of the huge closet. She sat on the bench at the end of the bed and flipped her shoes across the room, bending to rub her feet. They had swollen during the long drive. The southern cooking she’d been enjoying since being back in Adams Grove hadn’t helped either.

The thought of food reminded her that she’d been in such a hurry to get back to Savannah before she chickened out, she hadn’t stopped to eat. She went downstairs to grab a quick snack and to see if Bradley was swimming laps as he often did in the evenings.

Halfway down the long entry way that divided the wings of the house, a noise stopped her in her tracks.

She turned her back to the kitchen. The sound came from the entertainment room—Bradley’s man cave with the home theatre and full size billiard table. Bradley was quite the pool shark, too. It wasn’t unusual for him to spend hours practicing.

She walked toward the door, but the sounds weren’t the familiar clack of pool stick to ball. Bracing herself to look assertive and ready to face him with her decision, she pushed open the door.

She froze, unable to take her eyes off him or the horror of the scene in front of her.

Bradley was
on top
of the pool table with his back to her. In all his glory, he’d mounted the housekeeper from behind. Wearing nothing but his tie, Bradley smacked Annie’s hind parts as if he was jockeying a pony.

Across the room, the groundskeeper videotaped the whole freaky scene while projecting it on the eight-foot-wide screen in front of them all.

Jill’s hand shot to her mouth as she gagged.

She tried to move her feet and back out of the room, but her legs felt like wet noodles.

Jill tripped over her own bare foot, trying to get out of there before they noticed her. The only thing within reach to steady her was a rack of pool sticks that went clattering across the floor when she grabbed for them. She tripped over one and ended up on her hands and knees, scrambling to get back on her feet and out the door.

Bradley, Annie and the groundskeeper stopped in mid-motion. Jill ran from the room, still holding one of the pool sticks in her hand.

A naked Bradley ran after her, calling her name.