“Match?” Summer asked, wide-eyed.
“You don’t like him?” Myra asked.
“No…I mean, yes. I like him. It’s not that…”
Just then an elderly gentleman walked up. “Miss Myra, you are going to eat barbecue with me, aren’t you?”
Myra turned and blushed. “Why Tucker Harris, I thought you’d never ask.” She turned back, winked at Summer, and the pair walked off, arm in arm.
Summer watched them, smiling. And then she overheard two older women at the quilt display whispering behind her back. “Were they talking about that Garrett boy?” one asked the other.
“The one that killed his wife?” the other asked.
“Why, I wouldn’t have anything to do with that man,” the first whispered back. “If she’s smart, she won’t either.”
Summer turned, and the two women quickly walked away. She glanced around to see if anyone else had overheard the vicious talk, but no one appeared to be paying her any attention. The hateful words rang in her head, and she walked along the displays in the opposite direction from where the women had gone.
She wandered from booth to booth, but she hardly paid attention to the displays. She had lost the joy she had felt earlier.
Steve caught up to her a few minutes later. “Hey, I thought you were going to wait for me by the quilts,” he said, catching her by the arm. She turned and looked up at him blankly. “What’s wrong?” he asked, seeing her expression.
“Nothing. Why?” she asked, looking away and trying to smile.
“I don’t know. You just looked sad there for a moment,” he explained, falling into step beside her.
“I’m having a wonderful time,” she replied, smiling brightly at him, hoping he’d buy it.
“Well, come on. Let’s get something to eat.” They walked over to some food vendors. Steve ordered them both a plate of barbecue and roasted ears of corn. He led her over to a large tent and found them a place to sit at a picnic table. A few minutes later, Pop, Cary and Jessie joined them. They all ate and listened to the music drifting out of the adjacent barn where a country band was playing.
After they ate, Steve and Summer walked around some more and then rode a few more carnival rides. By then it was getting dark, so they wandered over to the big barn where the band was set up on a stage. There were about thirty people dancing to the music. Tables and chairs were set up along the sides, and beer and soft drinks were being sold at a table in the back.
“Come on, I’ll buy you a beer,” Steve offered, pulling her by the hand to the back. He ordered two bottles, and they stood in the back of the crowd and watched the dancing.
The music was quite good, and Summer couldn’t help but tap her toe. They drank their beer and enjoyed several songs. Summer noticed Cary out there, whirling Jessie around. “Look, there’s Jessie and Cary.” She smiled and pointed them out to Steve.
He followed where she was pointing, and then smiling, he took her empty bottle and set them both down on an adjacent table. He grabbed her by the hand. “Come on,” he said, pulling her onto the dance floor.
They danced around, and around, and when they came along side Jessie and Cary, Steve tapped Cary on the shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”
They switched partners, and Cary took Summer in his arms, and Steve danced away with his daughter. After several more songs, Summer told Cary that she needed a rest. They walked back to the bar area, and Cary got them both a beer.
“Thank you,” Summer said, drinking it thirstily. She looked around, but it was even more crowded now, and she couldn’t spot Steve or Jessie.
After a few minutes, she excused herself to find a restroom. She walked outside and headed back toward the 4H offices inside a large metal shed across the parking lot. She walked beyond the light from the open barn doors, into the shadows. As she walked across the gravel lot, her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, after coming out of the brightly lit barn. Reaching the shed, she went inside the building and found the restrooms.
When she was through, she headed back out and across the gravel lot.
“Hey, beautiful,” she heard coming from her right.
Turning to look, her eyes searched the parking area. She saw a man walking toward her in the shadows. As he got closer, she realized it was Justin. She greeted him, relieved, “Oh, hello, Justin.”
“How are you, Summer?”
“Fine, and you?” She smiled up at him.
“Better now that you’re here,” he replied, reaching up to brush a stray hair off her face and smiling down at her. His eyes traveled down over her sundress, noting her bare shoulders, and down her legs to her sandals. “You’re looking as pretty as ever.”
She smiled up at him. “You, sir, are a flirt.”
“Guilty as charged,” he admitted unrepentant. “So, what have you been up to?”
“Besides learning to drive stick shift, you mean?”
He laughed. “You’re not still grinding those gears, are you?”
“Well, not as much anyway.” She smiled. “I was just headed back to the barn dance.”
“I’ll walk you back,” he offered and fell in step beside her.
“So, how’s business?” she asked, turning to look up at him.
He smiled down at her. “It’s been busy. I’ve kept Billy hopping with work all week. He wants to know when you’re going to bring us some more baked goods. He’s hooked on your brownies.”
She laughed. “Tell him I’ll try to bring him some this week.”
They had reached the outside of the barn, when Justin reached out and touched her arm, stopping her before she went back inside. “He’s not the only one that’s hooked,” he told her softly, looking into her eyes.
She looked up at him, wide-eyed.
And then all hell broke loose.
Before she knew what had happened, Steve came charging at Justin and had him shoved back up against the side of the barn. Justin shoved him back, and they both took a couple of punches at each other. Summer backed away, and then ran into the barn, looking for Cary. She found him standing at the back. She ran to him and pulled at his arm. “Cary, Steve’s in a fight. You have to stop him.”
“Where?” he asked, looking over her shoulder frantically.
She pointed toward the door. “Out there. Hurry!” He pushed through the crowd, and ran out the door. Summer followed behind him. Cary ran up, pulling Steve back. Another man grabbed Justin, and the two were separated.
“Stay the hell away from her!” Steve yelled at Justin.
“Steve, take it easy,” Cary ordered, standing in front of him and pushing him back.
“You’re a lunatic!” Justin yelled at Steve. “You’re the one she needs to worry about!”
Steve lunged for him, but Cary held him back. “Let it go, Steve,” he told him, trying to calm him down.
“Get your hands off me!” Steve shoved Cary’s hands away and stalked off into the darkness toward the pickups.
Cary glanced over and saw Summer with her hand to her mouth, a stricken look on her face. He walked over and asked her if she was okay. She nodded silently. He told her to wait right there, while he went to find Jessie and Pop, and that it was time they all left.
She nodded, and he went into the barn. The crowd dispersed, and Justin was standing there, looking at her. He reached up and wiped his split lip with the back of his hand. He walked over to her.
“Sorry about that,” he said.
“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong,” she whispered.
“Yeah, well…I’m still sorry you had to see that,” he said, looking away.
“Justin, what was that about?”
He looked back at her. “It’s a long story, Summer. Look, just be careful around him, okay? I worry about you, living out there with him.” He saw Cary coming back and walked off before Summer could ask him what he meant.
They all rode back to the farm. This time, at Cary’s suggestion, Summer rode with him and Jessie. Pop rode with Steve. Summer felt like she was the cause of the fight, but she didn’t know what she’d done wrong. She wanted to ask Cary, but she didn’t want to get into it with Jessie there. When they reached the house, Summer paused outside Cary’s truck. Jessie looked from her to Cary, and then quietly went into the house, leaving them alone.
Cary looked over at Summer. “You okay?”
“What was that about tonight, Cary?
He took a deep breath. “Summer, they just don’t get along. It’s got nothing to do with you. Okay? Don’t put this on yourself.”
“Cary-”
“Get some sleep, it’ll be fine tomorrow.” He walked off toward his house.
Summer knew then that if she was going to get the story, it was going to have to come from Steve or Justin.
Chapter Fifteen
The next evening, Cary came in from mending fences in the west acres and headed toward his house. Steve had taken off early that morning. No one knew where he’d gone. Cary wondered if he’d come back yet. He didn’t see Steve’s pickup. He supposed Steve needed to get his head straight. His emotions were boiling over and everything seemed to be coming to a head. Cary knew the place was in shaky financial condition, and Steve was gambling a lot on this year’s harvest. He seemed to be taking it out on everyone.
Cary walked in the front door of his house and immediately smelled dinner cooking. He followed the smell to the kitchen. The sight before him brought him up short. He stopped, propping his shoulder on the doorframe. Standing at his stove with an apron tied around her waist, was Jessie. She had her back to him and was humming along with the radio. Apparently, she hadn’t heard him come in. “Now, isn’t this a sight?”
She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “You’re my guinea pig. I’m trying out a new recipe.”
“Lucky me.”
She turned and glared at him.
He grinned and admitted, “It smells great.” Walking up behind her, he tried to stick his finger in the pan she was stirring with a wooden spoon. She whacked the back of his hand with the spoon. “Yeow!”
“Keep your fingers to yourself!”
“To what do I owe the
pleasure
of your company?” he asked sarcastically, shaking out his injured hand.
“Dad and Summer went to Morelli’s for dinner, and Pop went to bed early.”
“Your dad and Summer, huh?”
“Yeah. I think he’s really falling for her.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“It’s okay. I like her, and I know that Dad’s been lonely.”
“Yeah. That he has, darlin’.” He went to the refrigerator and got a bottle of beer.
“Can I have one?” Jessie asked.
He looked at her, considering. “Are you staying on the ranch tonight or going out later?”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she replied.
“Give me your keys,” he demanded, holding out his hand.
“Why?”
“Hand ‘em over. Come on.” He waggled his fingers.
“Oh! Don’t you trust me?” she asked with a huff, pulling the keys out of her hip pocket and dropping them into his palm.
He shoved them into his jeans pocket. “Girl, the words trust and woman don’t even belong in the same sentence,” he replied, handing her a beer.
“Cary! What a chauvinistic thing to say!”
“Yeah? Well, you show me a woman who doesn’t lie and play games, and I’ll marry her!”
“You’re looking at one!” she declared with her hand on her hip.
“You? Ha! Girl, you’re the worst of the bunch. Shit, you could give lessons on it,” he teased, sitting down at the table.
“Cary! Well, women wouldn’t have to play games to get what they want if men weren’t so controlling,” she replied, spooning him up a plate of food.
“How about just asking? Ever think of that?” he countered.
“Oh, right! You show me a man who’ll give a woman what she asks for, and I’ll marry
him
,” she argued, slamming the plate down in front of him.
“If what she wants is good for her,” Cary conceded, smiling and taking a hit off his beer, never breaking eye contact with her.
“You mean, if what she wants is good for
him!
”
He laughed. “Where’d you learn so much about men?” He set his beer down and took a forkful off his plate.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” she said, turning back to the stove to dish up her own plate.
“Well, I know one thing you haven’t learned yet,” he grumbled, putting his fork down with a grimace and pushing his plate away. “The way to a man’s heart in through his stomach.” At which, she picked up a dishtowel and threw it at him. Cary grabbed the hem of her apron and pulled her back onto his lap. “Come here. I’m just teasing you, sweetheart. It’s good.”
“Well, if it’s so good, then here, have some more.” She picked up his fork and shoveled another forkful into his mouth. And another. And another, until his mouth was stuffed full, and he was trying not to laugh. He knocked the fork out of her hand, and it skittered across the floor. He managed to swallow it all down, but tomato sauce and cheese were smeared all over his chin. He reached up and rubbed it all over her face and down her neck.
She squealed, “Cary! Stop!” She jumped up to get away. He stood up, grabbing her.
“Come here, woman.” He tossed her up, and her legs wrapped around his waist. He kissed her, and then carried her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut with a boot.
Steve pulled into Morelli’s lot and parked. He looked over at Summer. She was checking her lipstick in the visor mirror. She had been quiet the entire ride in. To tell the truth, he hadn’t been sure she would even agree to go to dinner with him.
When he’d walked into the house this afternoon, Summer had been in the mudroom, loading the washing machine. She had turned to look at him, but hadn’t said a word. Then she’d just turned back to what she’d been doing. He had turned slowly and closed the door. He’d hesitated a moment, and then walked over to her. “I’m sorry about last night,” he’d said.
She’d just continued putting clothes in the machine.
“I was an ass.”
Her hands had stopped their motion, but she still wouldn’t look at him.
“Look at me, please.” She closed the lid on the machine, set the basket on top, and then she had turned to look at him, folding her arms and quirking an eyebrow. Steve had known, right then, that it wasn’t going to be easy. “Look, I was out of line, and I overreacted. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”