The Lure of White Oak Lake (22 page)

“I’d love to. What are the chances that we could snuggle on the couch and watch a movie afterward?”

“That would be wonderful, and I wouldn’t mind it a bit if you fell asleep on me again. We weren’t on that couch thirty seconds and you were dozing.”

“The excitement got to me.”

Skip walked in, went straight to the coffee station, and made himself a cup. “I’m so glad ol’ Chet is okay, and I’m so mad. I told him not to fool with dat old still. We can make it right on his stove. It don’t make as much as the still, but it’s safer.”

“It’s not safe either way. Fumes build up in the house, it’s not safe to breathe.” Jaclyn cut up a potato and took it to the cricket cages where she dropped it in. “Y’all would just rather be doing stuff in the woods that you really shouldn’t, just admit it.”

Skip waved a finger at Jaclyn, then Morgan. “Y’all ain’t no better. The whole town knows y’all did it in the goldenrod field and didn’t watch for ants. You both got beds, ya know.”

“We were…” Morgan stopped before telling the truth. No one would believe they were playing hide-and-seek. Hell, she wouldn’t have, either. “Nature calls, you know?” she said with a shrug.

Skip looked at Morgan’s arms. “How’re your bites?”

“Not as bad as they were, and thanks to Clarice, they don’t itch.”

“Clarice mixed up a paste,” Jaclyn explained as she rejoined Morgan behind the counter, “and she made us some of her special tea.”

Skip took off his cap and scratched his head. “You drank her tea?”

“She insisted, and we felt obligated.” Jaclyn cast a sideways glance at Morgan. “Skip, she jacked us up big-time.”

“Oh,” he said with a smile, “she made you her sweet weed brew. She made Rene some that time she broke her toe. Dat woman sang, she danced on dat toe, then she ate everything in the kitchen and blamed it on me the next day. Dat’s big love from Clarice, y’all better feel special. She’ll probably make Chet a brew too.”

~~~

Jaclyn’s nostrils flared, her pupils were dilated, she barely breathed as her hand moved slowly, steadily. Morgan was captivated by the intense concentration. Her own breathing slowed. She held it as Jaclyn’s hand hovered for a second.

“Don’t mess up,” Austin taunted as she skillfully set the block of wood on top of the tower.

Jaclyn sighed when everything stayed intact. “Your move, Morgan.”

Austin’s expression was full of mischief. “I can’t believe you never played Jenga. It would really suck to lose on your first game.”

Morgan shot him a look as she contemplated which piece to pull next. Austin inhaled sharply when she reached for one of the wooden blocks.

Jaclyn’s voice was smooth and low. “Don’t let him psych you out. He’s terrible at this game and knows he’s probably going to be the one to topple the tower.”

“I’m playing with a handicap, my hands are huge. I’ve heard it said that big hands mean big penis, and in my case, it’s true.”

“Austin!”

Morgan jerked her hand away from the tower as she laughed. “That’s cheating.”

He tapped his temple. “It’s a game of concentration and skill. You have to focus.”

“I can’t wait until it’s your turn.” Jaclyn looked at him. “We’ll see how well you focus.”

Morgan held her breath as she carefully slid the piece she’d chosen out of its place, then moved it to the top.

Jaclyn smiled. “Now when he knocks down the tower, you’ll be the winner because you made the last successful move.” She and Morgan waited quietly for Austin to decide on his piece. As he reached for it, Jaclyn sang out, “I don’t know, but I’ve been told, Skip’s old chicken has a green butthole.”

Austin froze in mid-reach. The muscles in his face twitched as he tried not to laugh. He exhaled slowly and carefully put his fingers on his choice. And Morgan then began to sing, “I don’t know, but I’ve been told, Austin has a little tiny pole.”

Blocks rained down onto the table and floor, and Austin slumped in defeat. Morgan and Jaclyn bumped their fists and yelled, “Jenga!”

“Yeah, yeah. I know, loser picks up the blocks,” Austin said drolly amidst their celebration. “Then I’m going to bed because I don’t like y’all right now.”

Morgan helped him with the task as Jaclyn straightened up the rest of the kitchen. “Get plenty of rest because we’re going to connect the chicken wire to Thor tomorrow for the decorations.”

Austin put the last of the pieces in the box and closed the lid. “Me and my
giant
pole will be ready.”

He bumped Morgan with the game box and kissed Jaclyn on the cheek before going upstairs. When they heard the door to his room close, Jaclyn said, “It must be hard going through life worshipping a body part even most straight women aren’t that enthralled with.”

Morgan stared at Jaclyn’s ass that looked especially nice in the tight jeans she was wearing. “I’m enthralled right now with one of yours.”

Jaclyn looked over her shoulder. “Some of yours are still in my mind’s eye. I have fond memories of smearing paste all over you.”

“You could roll in some ants, and I’ll be happy to return the favor.”

Jaclyn shook her head as she dried a skillet. “You can rub me down anytime. We don’t need ants for that.”

One of Morgan’s brows arched. “How long does it take for Austin to fall asleep?”

The skillet clanged in the sink as Jaclyn dropped it. She turned around and opened her mouth when her phone rang. “I’m not going to answer that.”

“Good,” Morgan said with a nod as she stood. “I’m still recovering from my ant trauma, but I have a long list of things I’d like to do to you.”

“Oh, it doesn’t work that way with me, and I don’t care about your spots. I just wanna—”

“Mom,” Austin called out. “Aunt Maddie’s looking for you. She said Dawn and Caleb are puking all over the place. The doctor called in some medicine to the pharmacy, and she needs you to pick it up because Uncle Heath is in Jeanerette.”

Jaclyn closed her eyes as her head lolled back. “I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about taking things slow. Everyone else in this town will handle that for us.”

T
he chicken wire slipped from Austin’s hands for the third time before he could secure it. He dropped the staple gun on the deck and sat with a thud.

“It’s pissing me off too. Let’s take a break and let our nerves cool.” Morgan sat beside him and took a sip of her water.

“It’s just a bad day for me, nothing has gone right. When I got to school today, Logan bowed up and called me a rat. He threatened to beat my ass after school in front of everybody, but he didn’t show up behind the gym. Rylee won’t speak to me at all.”

“You were gonna fight him?”

“I was gonna talk to him, but if he wouldn’t have listened, I would’ve pounded him into the ground like a tent stake. I guess he wasn’t really my friend after all. He wouldn’t let me be in the regatta with him, and now he’s telling everyone I’m a rat.” Austin looked at Morgan. “I wanna win, so everybody can see I’m not the loser they think I am.”

“You’re not a loser. I know hearing me say that doesn’t make you feel any better, but it’s the truth. I really didn’t like being around kids until I met you.” Morgan held up her hand. “I know you’re not really a kid, but you know what I mean. You’re a great friend, and I’m honored to have you on my team. We will win, then all those pinheads at school can suck on our victory.”

Austin grinned and bumped Morgan’s fist.

~~~

Chet’s mishap put a strain on Jaclyn and Morgan’s alone time not only because he couldn’t work in Jaclyn’s place, but Jaclyn along with the others in town took turns feeding and helping with daily activities. Morgan covered the store while Jaclyn brought him lunch, and Morgan took turns, as well, helping with his laundry.

A busy schedule seemed to accelerate time, and the regatta was coming up fast. Morgan spent many evenings with Austin working on Thor. Gavin Cullum had managed to scrounge up another empty keg for the bow, and the not-boat was buoyant supporting their combined weight, which was growing. Morgan’s clothes were fitting tighter, thanks to Jaclyn’s cooking, and Thor almost sat evenly on the water.

The papier-mâché Viking trim turned out to be a serious undertaking, and since it couldn’t be left in the weather, it had been moved into Morgan’s den. Jaclyn’s help was enlisted when Morgan had raged and thrown herself into their last try, destroying what little progress had been made. Their courtship had dwindled down to provocative looks and a quick make-out session before one or both of them collapsed in exhaustion.

Austin and Morgan sat side by side watching as Jaclyn smoothed her hand over the sodden paper careful not to wipe off too much of the sticky concoction they’d created with flour, water, and an industrial-sized jug of Elmer’s glue.

“It’s holding,” Jaclyn said with satisfaction as she admired her handiwork. “It’s going to have to sit and dry for I’d say a week before you paint it.”

“Momma, we don’t have a week. It’s Monday, and the regatta is Saturday.” Austin scrubbed at his face, smearing the sticky substance into his hair.

Morgan grinned when she noticed that his bangs were standing straight up. “If nothing else, we’ve created an awesome hair gel.”

“I’m glad you like it because it’s all up in your hair.”

“Am I sexy?” Morgan asked as she made two hair horns.

“Very.” Jaclyn stood and stretched. “I think you should wear it like that all the time.”

Austin made a face. “We need to focus. Besides, y’all are gross. A dude does not want to see ‘make-out’ eyes on his momma.” He pointed at Jaclyn. “Look away.”

Jaclyn laughed as she complied and wiped her hands on a cloth. “Okay, y’all are gonna take the decorations off before the race, right?”

Morgan nodded. “Right.”

“I guess if you put fans around to blow on it, it may be dry enough to paint Thursday night. That’ll give it a whole day for the paint to dry. It should hold up for the short time you’re going to need it.”

“I like that plan,” Morgan said, “but I don’t have any fans.”

“We do in the storeroom. Why don’t you two go get them, and I’ll finish up dinner? By the time y’all do that and shower, it’ll be time to eat.”

“Wait a minute.” Morgan pointed to her newly fashioned horns. “You want me to wash this out? I haven’t even seen them, and I know they’re hot.”

“Super hot.” Jaclyn wiped sticky stuff from Morgan’s chin and kissed her.

“Oh! Kissing again!” Austin said with disgust, though he was trying to keep the smile from his face. “And y’all say teenagers are bad. I’m going to get the fans. I can handle that alone.”

Jaclyn gazed up at Morgan’s hair. “The horns are very sexy. I can’t wait to see you in that Viking hat.”

“I need to check on those, they haven’t arrived. Thanks for reminding me. I’ll be wearing the hide of a deer, too. Will that turn you on, as well?” Morgan asked.

Jaclyn nodded. “Oddly enough, I’ll probably find that pretty sexy, too.”

“I’d like to touch you, but I’m going to leave prints.” Morgan held up her glue-covered hands. “That’s liable to make Austin puke.”

“Mine are clean. I wiped them off, so I have the advantage.” Their relationship had not taken a completely physical turn yet, but the more time they spent together, the urge became stronger, and Jaclyn let her hands roam over Morgan’s stomach and close to her breasts. She enjoyed the way Morgan’s breathing abruptly changed. She was about to get more daring when Morgan’s phone rang. “Answer that,” Jaclyn said as she stepped away. “I have to get away from you right now before I lose control.”

Morgan groaned. “Whoever this is, their timing sucks. I’ll see you in a little while.” She literally ached as she watched Jaclyn walk away from her, denim caressing the butt and thighs she desperately wanted to get her hands on.

“We’re having a boy!” Brad yelled when she answered the phone. Morgan was so taken aback, she couldn’t speak. “Robert Jacob Chassion, how does that sound?” he asked excitedly.

“It sounds fantastic.”

“He’ll go by Jacob, but I wanted him to have Dad’s name, and Jacob Robert didn’t have a ring to it. I would’ve been just as thrilled with a girl, which I hope comes next. Tonya’s doing great, Jacob is too, and I am the luckiest man in the world.”

“Yes, you are,” Morgan agreed wholeheartedly.

“Look, I need to talk to you about the holidays. Tonya’s folks will be traveling over Christmas to see Tonya’s sister, so they’re having a huge Thanksgiving party. You, of course, are invited.”

Morgan’s mind scrambled for a viable excuse not to attend. She adored Tonya, but her brother and her parents weren’t Morgan’s favorite people.

“I need to be there for Tonya, and I know you’d rather pull all your hair out than spend five minutes with the Waverly family. I’m torn. I don’t want you to be alone on the first holiday without Dad.”

“I won’t be alone, I’ve made friends here. You have nothing to worry about. Besides, I missed a few Thanksgivings. Frankly, I was kind of looking forward to being here. Skip’s been talking up wild turkey, and I’d like to try it.”

“I can make it up to you on Christmas. Tonya and I would like to come there and celebrate at the cabin.”

“I would absolutely love that,” Morgan said sincerely.

“Okay, it’s a plan.” Brad was quiet for a second. “I still feel like a dick where Thanksgiving is concerned.”

“I give you my solemn word that I have no problem with it whatsoever.” Morgan looked at the door when Austin walked in. “One of my buddies just walked in the door, so I’m going to have to cut this short. I love you.”

“Love you, too, sis.”

Austin had a scowl on his face as he regarded Morgan. “You okay, bud?” she asked.

“I’m fine.” He set the fans down and plugged one in. “Okay, were you talking to a woman because you’re dating my mom, you know?”

“I admire your protectiveness, and that was my brother, Brad. I’ll introduce you to him at Christmas because he and his wife are coming here.”

“Oh, sorry.” Austin plugged in one of the fans and directed the air toward their creation.

Morgan grinned. “We okay or are you gonna kick my ass now?”

“She dated a woman named Sharon, and I heard her a few times talking sweet to someone else. To be honest, I was glad when Mom dumped her because she was a jerk. I like you, though, so don’t mess up.”