The Lure of White Oak Lake (21 page)

Morgan didn’t laugh, but the hand on Jaclyn’s back twitched slightly. Jaclyn breathed in deeply, inhaling Morgan’s scent that mingled with the smell of smoke on her clothes. It felt so good to be in her arms, too good, too perfect. Jaclyn had talked a good game on Miller’s Bridge, and at that time, she’d meant everything she said. She wanted to enjoy the time she had with Morgan, to forget that all good things come to an end, but that fact lingered in the back of her mind. “I hope you don’t break my heart,” she said softly against the material of Morgan’s shirt.

~~~

Morgan’s eyes flew open when something started to make noise. Her face was buried in a mass of blond hair. Jaclyn didn’t stir as she lay in the cocoon of her arms. Morgan reached over Jaclyn and grabbed the phone lying on the coffee table. “Hello?”

Maddie’s voice was soft. “Morgan?”

“Yes.”

“I’m calling to tell y’all that Chet came through surgery just fine. Charlie just called me and said he’s resting well in ICU. They’ll probably move him to a regular room in a day or two as long as he’s doing well. My sister sleeps like a dead woman as I’m sure you’ve noticed. If I were you, I’d wait until she wakes up to tell her the news because she won’t comprehend a word you’re saying.”

“Okay, thank you,” Morgan mumbled.

“Sweet dreams,” Maddie said cheerfully. “Bye.”

Jaclyn didn’t stir when Morgan set the phone back on the table. She pulled the throw off the back of the couch and threw it over their entwined legs before burrowing back into the warmth of Jaclyn’s body. She smiled thinking there was nowhere she’d rather be. That notion was becoming the norm whenever Jaclyn was around.

The days were going by in a blur. She felt like she’d known Jaclyn for years as she lay there holding her. She’d felt displaced when her father had sold the family home and moved in with Brad. It seemed there was nothing to go back to. Brad and Tonya were family, but whenever she visited, it wasn’t like going home. White Oak Lake felt like home now, Jaclyn felt like home. It seemed like life in Atlanta had never existed as her eyes began to close.

~~~

Morgan awoke the next morning alone with the throw tucked beneath her chin. Austin sat in the recliner grinning at her. “Mom wouldn’t let me wake you up. You’re lucky because I was gonna jump on you.”

“Where is she?” Morgan rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

“At the store.” He was still grinning. “You
like
each other.” Morgan pulled the blanket over her head. “I knew you did. I knew she did because she was always smiling at you, and she gets that funny look in her eyes. You know, kinda like a dog when you’re gonna throw him a treat.”

“Your momma is not a dog by any stretch of the imagination.”

Austin yanked the blanket off Morgan, his expression serious. “Don’t hurt her, okay? I like you a whole lot, but if you make her cry, I’ll kick your ass.”

Morgan tried not to laugh. “I have no doubt that you would.”

Austin handed her a sheet of paper. “I made you a crib sheet.”

Morgan’s brow furrowed as she unfolded it and began to read. “Likes: daisies, chocolate, any kind, scary movies, funny movies, bacon.” Morgan blinked. “Long walks on the beach?”

Austin shrugged. “I just put that on there because everybody says it in movies. But she does love the beach. We used to go a lot in the summers when she had regular help at the store. We won’t be going anywhere now that Chet’s all broken up. Read the dislikes.”

“Clutter, pig skins, skins of any kind are gross, squash, Brussels sprouts, and feet.” Morgan lowered the paper. “What’s she got against feet?”

“She doesn’t like them on her, so if yours are cold, keep ’em away. She doesn’t like you to pinch her with your toes, either, and she says feet are generally ugly.”

“Good to know,” Morgan said with a nod. Austin seemed pleased when Morgan folded the paper and stuffed it into her pocket. “I’ll keep it in case I need to refer back to it at any time.”

“She won’t let me go work on Thor with you today, which really sucks because she kept me home from school. She says I can go back tomorrow, so hopefully, we can get started again when I get out in the afternoon.”

“Okay, we’ll see what she says then. Let me get out of your napping place.” Morgan stood and folded the blanket. “You lay low today and get your strength back because I need your help.”

“All right,” he said with a sigh and pushed back in the recliner until the foot rest popped out. “I have to tell you, though, I’m about sick of movies and my Xbox.”

“I understand,” Morgan said with a smile. “I’m going to say hello to your mom, then I’m going home to take a shower.”

~~~

Morgan walked over to the store and tinkered around while Jaclyn rang up a line three people deep. She was eyeing a honey bun when a man she recognized from the hospital but didn’t know spoke up. “You taken a look at the woods behind the Minden place?”

“Not yet,” Jaclyn said as she put his purchases in a bag.

“Ol’ Chet torched the woods good. Had we not gotten that rain recently, he might’ve burned down his place and a few others, too. He’s a lucky old fool. I guess you’re gonna miss your backup.”

“Nothing I can’t handle. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers,” Jaclyn said with a smile and handed him the bag. She made quick work of the next customers and smiled at Morgan as she slowly approached the counter. “You were awfully cute this morning, I just couldn’t wake you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Morgan pulled Austin’s crib notes from her pocket and held it out to Jaclyn. “I assume you talked to him this morning because he made me this so I wouldn’t mess up with you.”

Jaclyn laughed as she read it, then sighed. “I love that kid,” she said as her gaze met Morgan’s. “He saw us sleeping together on the couch and was full of questions. I told him that we’re dating.”

“I’d like to keep that if you don’t mind.” Morgan pointed at the paper. Jaclyn gave it back to her, and she returned it to her pocket. “He seems okay with it, right?”

“More than okay,” Jaclyn said with a beaming smile that slowly slid from her face. “My time is going to be limited now. I’ll close each evening at five instead of six, but I’ll have to help Bailey on the weekends, and Chet won’t be around to step in.”

“I was thinking about that when I was watching you a minute ago. I just wanted to remind you that there’s this unemployed woman in town, who has a lot of time on her hands except when she’s working on a not-boat. Her help won’t cost you anything but a smile.”

Jaclyn leaned on the counter, her button-down shirt opening slightly, revealing her cleavage. “I couldn’t do that to you. Besides, if you were here, that’s where I’d want to be, so it wouldn’t be a break for us.”

Morgan felt heat envelop her as she looked away, her mind struggling to deal with the desire to touch and taste. Her voice was raspy when she said, “Could you stand up straight and not do that again when others are in here?” Morgan’s gaze swept over the sight again, unable to resist the urge.

Jaclyn looked at her oddly for a second, then followed her gaze. She abruptly stood straight as her face colored. “Sorry. Actually...I’m not, I didn’t do it on purpose, but I can’t deny that I like the look in your eyes right now.”

“I haven’t showered or brushed my teeth yet, don’t provoke me. You’ll close much earlier than five.”

Jaclyn chewed her bottom lip, obviously having no smart comeback. Morgan smiled.

“We both know I’m going to be right here because like you I want to be wherever you are. Use me, I’m begging you.”

“Are…are we still talking about you working here?”

Morgan rubbed the back of her neck and laughed. “At the moment, I’m not sure.”

“I’ll take advantage of you, if that’s truly what you want.” Jaclyn folded her arms and leaned against the counter.

Morgan grinned as she backed toward the door. “I’m going home to shower, then I’ll be back. You’ll find that I’m an extremely fast learner, and I’m easy to train. I’ll do anything you want.”

“Okay, run.” Jaclyn laughed when Morgan tore out of the door like a rocket and nearly plowed over Betsy.

“She’s in a hurry this morning,” Betsy said with a nervous smile. “Is she…okay?”

“She’s just fine,” Jaclyn assured, though the same could not be said for her. Had Betsy not walked in, Jaclyn feared she might’ve locked up and chased after Morgan. Every fiber of her being was begging her to do it.

“Harlan’s up at the hospital, he just called me. He says Chet’s doing very well, and they may go ahead and put him in a regular room. The burns weren’t that serious. It’s just the leg that they were concerned with coupled with his age.”

“That’s fantastic news. Would you like to celebrate with a cup of coffee?”

“Oh, no,” Betsy said with a weird laugh. “I’ve been doing too much celebrating lately, and it’s showing on my waistline. That was sure something last night, very scary.”

“Yes, it was,” Jaclyn said as the events began to replay in her mind. Images of Betsy in her underthings flashed across her brain. If Betsy wasn’t going to offer an explanation, she sure as hell wasn’t going to ask for one. “I haven’t seen you much lately. You used to come by at least twice a week.”

Betsy’s face and neck flushed. “I’ve…uh…been doing a lot of sewing lately. You know how that is. You just get all absorbed…stitching and sewing.” She hung her head as her shoulders sagged. “I know you saw us last night. I should’ve never done it! Crazy Clarice and her lunar urges.” Betsy sniffed and looked back up at Jaclyn. “We caused that explosion.”

Jaclyn was becoming more confused by the second. “You were making moonshine with Chet? Is that what happened to your clothes—they burned off?” She stared closely at Betsy’s hair and saw no signs of it being singed.

“We were undressed before the explosion.” Betsy cast a nervous glance toward the door.

“Okay, if you’re about to admit to some kind of moonshine orgy, I don’t think I can hear about that.”

“It was nothing sexual. We were celebrating the stupid moon.” Betsy put a hand to her forehead and sighed. “Clarice and Ida like to run through the woods naked, and last night, they were very insistent.”

Jaclyn’s brows shot skyward. Clarice was batshit crazy, plain and simple, and Ida had a few extra bats in her cave, too, but Betsy was always the sensible one. “You…stripped down to your underwear and ran through the woods…at night…and nothing was chasing you.” Jaclyn put her hand over her mouth and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

“Trotted was more like it.” Betsy put a hand to her chest. “At my age, the only things running in my life are my pantyhose. But then I saw Chet, and the thought of him seeing me that way put fire in my old legs, pardon the expression. Well, I just turned and ran the other way. At night, it’s easy to get turned around, so I hid behind one of those big oaks, and that’s when everything just exploded. We startled him, you see, and I guess he knocked something over because I heard a big clang. I just feel so bad, Jaclyn. I could’ve at least helped him, but I was,” Betsy lowered her voice, “indecent.”

Jaclyn took a moment to digest what she’d heard and to compose herself. “Were Ida and Clarice hurt?”

“Darlin’, with as many hibiscus flowers as they were seeing, they could’ve been run over by a truck and not felt a thing, but Clarice tripped on a root and Ida tripped over her. They’re both bruised, but neither of them was injured in the blast, by God’s grace, I’m sure.”

“Hibiscus flowers?”

“That’s what they say they see when they smoke that mess. Clarice claims it’s from Hawaii. I feel so bad about Chet.” Betsy wrung her hands. “One minute, Harlan’s worried about him, and the next, he’s furious because he said Chet could’ve burned our house down.” She shook her head. “I can never tell Harlan the truth, he’ll never understand.”

“I won’t say anything to anyone,” Jaclyn assured her.

“Did Morgan and Austin see…”

“I’m afraid so, but neither of them will say anything, either.”

Betsy looked as though she was in agony as her face managed to turn a darker shade of red.

“You’re not totally to blame. Chet knew better than to fool with that old still. He doesn’t exactly have a good track record. He didn’t have any business being out there, either.”

“This is gonna hurt you, too. Chet used to help out when you needed a break. I don’t know anything about cash registers, but I’ll sure do what I can to fill his shoes.”

“That’s very sweet, but Morgan has already offered. We’ll make do, don’t you worry.”

Betsy’s color began to turn back to normal, though her cheeks were still a bit flushed, and the skin of her neck was blotched. “She’s a fine woman. You know…she may enjoy working here at the store, then maybe she won’t have to—” Betsy sniffed. “Well, I’ll leave that alone. I hope it works out.”

“Me too,” Jaclyn said with a nod.

“I’m gonna get back to the house. Thank you for allowing me to unburden my soul.” She walked over to the door and put her hand on the handle. “Augie would’ve liked Morgan, you know that.”

Jaclyn smiled. “I think so, too.”

“Lord, I hope she wasn’t watching me last night.”

T
hanks for stopping in, y’all come back now.” Morgan stopped short of saying, “ya hear?” She’d gone a little too country for her liking.

“Your exuberance is scaring the natives,” Jaclyn said with a smile. “You did tell the truth, you’re a very fast learner.”

“I ran a register in high school at an ice cream shop.” Morgan frowned. “I’ll have to practice with the crickets.” She reached into her shirt and pulled out one of the insects. “They get a little friendly, don’t they?”

“I’d hide in your bra too if someone was planning on putting me on a hook.” Jaclyn grinned and winked when Morgan shot her a glance.

“You’re naughty, I love it.”

Jaclyn wanted the opportunity to prove her right, but finding time alone to do that was going to be tricky. She took the cricket from Morgan’s fingers and put it back into the cage. “I didn’t have time to put anything in the Crock-Pot, do you want to join us for some leftover chicken? There’s a ton of it in the fridge.”