Authors: Sarah King
Chapter 3
Lisa put her groceries away with a little more force than necessary. Jeez, what was wrong with her? She sees one good-looking guy, and she’s instantly transported back to high school, becoming a blabbering, klutzy moron. “Ugh!” she screamed before slamming the refrigerator closed and leaning her head against the cool door. One wave from Jake, and she’d turned into a total spaz…again. Nothing would ever be able to measure her level of embarrassment at having to walk back into that store to grab the bag she’d forgotten. She’d even given serious thought to just leaving it. If it hadn’t held her dinner, she may have done just that. Of course, then Jake probably would have brought the damn bag to her like a “proper, Southern gentleman”. Ripping the top off the container of salad, she poured on her dressing and forked a few pieces roughly. He was just another pretty face, and she would do well to remember that. Men left. Or to be more accurate, men left
her
. First her dad and then Eric… Before she wandered down the “Let’s examine what’s wrong with Lisa” avenue again, she grabbed her dinner and went out to the patio. The stars were twinkling high above, and the fragrant breeze was a welcome relief to the humidity. Sighing, Lisa tried to relax.
Staring across the small backyard, she knew she’d need to cut the grass. She didn’t welcome the task, but if she let the landscaping go much further, she’d be living in a jungle. Spotting a shed tucked into the back corner of the yard, she hoped to find a lawnmower. With a yawn, she stretched and decided that she could check it out tomorrow after she finished unpacking.
Lisa had brought a few personal effects with her, but she’d sold all of her furniture in hopes of building up her meager savings until she could find work down here. On Monday, she’d begin searching for employment. She groaned at the thought of another waitressing or retail job, but dreams wouldn’t pay the bills. Whatever it takes, that was her motto. Lisa sighed before grabbing her trash, and then spent some time writing down a few lyric ideas for
Blue Twilight
before finally heading upstairs for a much needed shower and bed. Right as her eyes began to close, she remembered Jake’s party the following night and her idiotic acceptance to go.
Damn it
.
Chapter 4
Lisa made quick work of unpacking her belongings the next morning. Not having much to unpack helped. Then she began attacking the dirt and dust that had invaded the house over the past year. She scrubbed windows, floors, and countertops like a woman possessed. When the main level of the house sparkled, she moved on to the second floor. Rearranging a few pieces of furniture and placing some of her pictures helped make the house feel like hers. She filled a few boxes with Layla’s personal things to place in the basement until she decided what to do with them. Balancing a box on her hip, she flipped the light switch that led to the basement. When she’d checked out the house a few months back, she had only done a cursory walk through and skipped going downstairs.
Lord, please do not let me run into any creepy crawlers down here
. Letting out a sigh of relief, she was surprised to find the basement finished and that it lacked a creepy feel. A few bookshelves made up the far wall, and an old sofa and a few chairs surrounded a wooden coffee table. Setting the box down on the table, Lisa ran her fingers over the many titles lining the bookshelves. She paused as she noticed a section of shelves pulled away from the wall slightly.
“That’s strange, it almost looks like a…” When she pulled hard, the shelves pulled away from the wall and swung outward. Lisa looked left and right hoping for someone else to suddenly materialize and search the exposed creepy, secret room instead of her. When Jake’s face flashed through her mind, she rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “Suck it up, buttercup,” she muttered to herself as she squeezed into the room. She walked about three steps before something hit her in the face. Squealing, she jumped back before realizing it was just a pull-chain for a light. With a hard pull, light flooded the surprisingly large room.
A mahogany desk lined one wall, while a large piano and microphone took up the other end. As she wandered around the room, Lisa shook her head trying to make sense of it. Stopping at the desk, she picked up one of the many papers that littered the top. As crazy as it seemed, she could swear what she was reading were song lyrics. A plaque hanging above the desk caught her attention. After wiping her hand across the thick coating of dust, she gasped as she recognized her aunt’s name listed under “Songwriter”. It seemed she’d had more in common with Layla than she’d thought. Leaning against the desk, Lisa smiled as she realized she finally felt at home.
***
Lisa could have spent all day in the studio, but duty called—or the lawn, in this case. She quickly changed into cut-off shorts and a tank top before crossing the yard to the shed. Much to her relief, she found an old lawnmower inside. It had a pull start, so she figured, how hard could it be? Very. It could be very, very hard. She pulled it to the front yard, made sure it had gas, and the thing still wouldn’t start.
Yanking hard on the cord once more, she muttered, “Come on! Start, you stupid piece of…”
“Need a hand?”
Lisa screamed, grabbing her chest. She turned so fast she tripped over her own feet and landed on her butt with a thud.
“Sorry,” said Jake as he tried to hide his smile behind his hand. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He bent down and offered Lisa a hand up. “Having some trouble?”
Ignoring Jake’s hand, she pushed herself to her feet and wiped her hands on her shorts. She blew a piece of hair out of her face and nodded toward her enemy, the lawnmower. “It won’t start. I’ve tried everything.”
Jake grinned. “May I?”
Smirking, Lisa stepped back and put her hands on her hips. “By all means.” It was an old lawnmower and there was no way it was going to…
Jake’s arm muscles rippled—not that she was paying attention—as he yanked the cord, and the lawnmower growled to life. With a wink, he said, “Sometimes they just need a stronger pull.” He grinned as she stood there with her mouth hanging open. “You need some help with the yard?”
Finally coming to her senses, she shook her head. “No, I’ve got it, but thank you…for your help.”
Jake nodded. “Anytime. I’ll see you later.” With a wave, he headed down the street.
Lisa stared after him for a moment before turning back to the lawnmower. Had it gotten hotter out here? Fanning her burning face, she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the temperature.
Chapter 5
Two hours and one shower later, the lawn looked better, and Lisa felt human again. Standing in front of her closet, she picked through hangers trying to decide what to wear. What she really wanted to do was pull on a comfortable pair of sweats and a t-shirt and go hang out in the studio for a while. But she knew what she
should
do is put on her sundress, walk down the street, and be a good neighbor. She made a face before reaching into the closet. After slipping into the dress and applying a small amount of makeup, Lisa went down to the kitchen. There was still an hour before the party started and she felt she shouldn’t show up empty handed. Spying a radio, she tuned it to a local station and did a little shimmy as Shania sang about feeling like a woman. Lisa searched through a few cabinets and found an apron. She wrapped it around her body and grabbed the ingredients needed to make chocolate chip cookies. Lisa always kept them on hand because it was the one thing she could bake and was something she could prepare quickly. Another quick search yielded a hand mixer, and she held it up in triumph with a laugh. As she creamed the butter and sugar together, she told herself it was just good manners to bring something to a party. It had nothing to do with making a certain host happy. Frowning over the direction her thoughts had taken, she concentrated on finishing the dough. Once they had baked, she placed the cookies out to cool and ran to check her reflection one last time. As she studied herself in the mirror, she noticed a red tinge to her cheeks. The sun was a lot stronger down here. Surely
that
was the reason her face appeared flushed. She made a face as she applied a quick coat of lip gloss and then grabbed the sandals from her room. After arranging the cooled cookies on a plate, she covered them with plastic wrap. Figuring she had stalled as long as possible, Lisa stepped outside and locked the door before walking down the street.
Chapter 6
The numerous cars parked out front and loud noise coming from the back yard made finding Jake’s house easy. Lisa nervously wondered if he’d invited the whole town. She’d barely raised her hand to knock when the door swung open to a large, bear of a man. He was easily 6’5” with a slight bulge around his middle.
After realizing she was staring, she stuck her hand out in greeting. “Hello, I’m Li—”
“Well, hello there! You must be Lisa, Layla’s niece. It’s good to finally meet you, I’m Hank Little,” he said shaking Lisa’s hand.
Grinning at the irony of this giant of a man being named Little, Lisa returned his handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” she said as Hank pulled her though the house.
He introduced her to more people than she thought possible. Someone named Maureen took her cookies to the kitchen as she called a “thank you” to her retreating form. Hank asked a few people where Jake was, and someone mentioned he was out back manning the grill. Grinning, he turned to face her. “I was under strict instructions to let Jake know as soon as you arrived.”
Not knowing what to say, Lisa simply stared at Hank. He placed his arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the backyard.
Hank left her to fend for herself, and Lisa found herself surrounded. Forcing a smile to her face, she accepted condolences for Layla’s passing. She heard a few stories about her aunt that made her smile, and it comforted her that even though Layla hadn’t had much family, she seemed to have made up for it with friends.
A slight breeze whispered across her skin, and she turned to find Jake staring at her from across the yard. Swallowing hard, she watched as Jake passed a pair of tongs to Hank and made his way toward her.
“Hey, I’m glad you came,” he said draping an arm over her shoulders.
Unlike when Hank did it, Lisa didn’t feel comforted. She felt…out of sorts. “Thanks for inviting me. I brought some cookies. They’re in the kitchen, I think.” Mentally kicking herself, she realized how breathless she sounded.
“Thanks, angel. You overwhelmed yet?”
She tried not to read too much into Jake calling her “angel”. It was the South after all. But perhaps a little distance was best. Stepping out from his hold, she said, “Is it that obvious?”
“Nah,” he said with a smirk. He bumped her shoulder with a smile. “Okay, maybe a little. Come on, let me show you around.”
As Jake led her through the house, she learned it was the house he’d grown up in, and his parents had retired to Florida a few years ago. After pointing out a few pictures in the hallway, Jake proceeded to tell her a few stories from when he was a child. Lisa was still laughing by the time they made their way outside to rejoin the party.
Hank signaled from the grill, so Jake excused himself and jogged across the yard. He slapped Hank on the back in a familiar, friendly gesture as he turned to the crowd.
“Hey, y’all grab a plate! Food’s ready!”
Lisa stepped back as the crowd swarmed the three picnic tables that were heavily weighed down with food. Spotting a chair underneath a large Flowering Dogwood tree, she plopped down; happy to have found some peace for a moment. She leaned back and shut her eyes.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
Her eyes flew open at the familiar voice to find Jake standing in front of her with two plates loaded with food. “I was just…”
“Hiding out,” he finished, grinning. “I understand.” Pulling up a chair beside her, he held out one of the dishes. “I didn’t know what you might want, so I grabbed a bit of everything.”
Lisa took the offered plate. “Thanks.” They ate in comfortable silence for a while before someone called Jake from across the yard.
Picking at what was left of her food, her gaze followed Jake across the yard. He seemed to be having an important conversation with Hank as their heads were drawn close together and Hank had pulled his iPhone from his pocket appearing to make some notes. She was watching them so intently she didn’t realize someone had joined her until they spoke.
“He is a handsome devil, isn’t he?”
Lisa glanced up and saw an attractive blonde woman in her forties smiling knowingly. “I…umm…I…”
Laughing, the petite woman whacked Lisa’s shoulder good naturedly, and her grey eyes crinkled. “My husband, I mean. I’m Hank’s wife, Debra.”
Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, Lisa offered her hand. “Oh, hi. I’m Lisa James.”
Debra shook Lisa’s hand and settled into Jake’s vacated seat. They talked for a while, and Lisa felt an immediate connection with Debra. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much. During their conversation, Lisa learned that Debra owned the Bakery in town.
Taking a sip of the beer Debra had gotten her, Lisa asked, “So, you’re
the
Deb, huh?”
“My God, you make me sound infamous,” said Debra cackling. “I love it! So, what is it you do, Lisa?”
Lisa frowned as she realized she’d have to begin her job hunt tomorrow. “Right now, nothing. I’ve done a bit of everything in the past, though. I’ve waitressed, worked in retail, and until recently, worked for a temp agency. I’ll have to start looking again soon.”
Stirring her sweet tea with a straw, Debra said, “Well, as it turns out, I’m actually looking to hire someone for my morning shift. You interested?”
Stunned, Lisa coughed as she choked on her beer.
Debra smacked her back a few times.
“You’re offering me a job?”
Debra pursed her lips. “Let’s call it an audition. But I feel I must warn you, it’s not easy. The hours are brutal, and you’ll be busy from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave. You’ll start at four in the morning, but you’ll be done by noon.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to agree before a thought struck her. “I’m not a very good baker. Chocolate chip cookies are about all I know how to make.”
Debra laughed. “Oh, sugar, don’t you worry about that. I can teach you. So, what do you think?”
“I…yes. Yes, thank you so much!” Grinning, she jumped from her seat to give Debra a quick hug.
Debra patted her shoulder. “Oh, now, you’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then. Just park around the back of the shop and knock. I’ll let you mingle some more now.” With a wink, she walked away.
“What did she talk you into?”
Still smiling, she turned to see Jake standing behind her. “A job. I can’t believe it. Everyone here is so nice!”
Jake chuckled. “Was it so awful where you used to live?”
She laughed in return. “No, not at all. I’m just not used to getting help too often.”
“You?” he asked sarcastically. “I had no idea…”
“Alright, smart guy,” she said, touching the back of his hand. Lisa pulled her fingers back quickly at the jolt she felt rush through her. Smoothing her dress to hide her trembling, she finished, “Anyway, I start tomorrow morning at four.”
A horrified look crossed Jake’s face. “Four a.m.? Better you than me.”
“I’ll get used to it. I’ve actually worked worse schedules before.” She caught a glimpse of the time on Jake’s watch and started to step around him. “Actually, I should probably get going. Don’t want to oversleep on my first day.”
His hand shot out to grab her arm. “Wait, don’t leave. You haven’t even played horseshoes yet.”
She tried to ignore the warmth that was once again spreading through her body. Her voice came out husky as she questioned him. “Horseshoes?”
“Of course, angel” said Jake as he deepened his drawl. “All good southern folk play.”
Lisa knew she should leave, for many reasons. Instead, she found herself warming, once again, at his endearment. She held up one finger. “Alright. One game.”
One game quickly turned into the best two out of three. Jake was winning by an easy margin before he finally showed her some mercy. He stepped behind Lisa to show her what she was doing wrong.
Gently grabbing her elbow, he pulled it back. “It’s all in the wrist,” he murmured close to her ear. “Don’t just throw it, flick it lightly.”
With his hands on her arm and his hot breath in her ear, Lisa could barely breathe, let alone “flick”, but she did as he instructed and watched in amazement as the horseshoe clanged against the post. “I did it!” she squealed and pulled Jake in for a hug. Realizing what she’d done, she quickly stepped back and stared at the ground. “I mean, thanks,” she said quietly.
“You’re welcome,” Jake whispered.
The air hummed between them. “I should really be going now,” she said, breaking the spell. The sun had set long ago and torches had been lit to illuminate the backyard. “Thanks for inviting me and for teaching me horseshoes, and...” Lisa realized she was rambling.
Shut up, stupid.
“Anyway, thanks. I’ll see you around.” Offering Jake a small smile, she turned to leave.
“Hey, wait up. I’ll walk you home.”