“This is a hard life for a woman and two kids,” Alex remarked. “Maybe a regular job with benefits would be a good idea.”
Lacey sat up straighter. “It’s a hard life for anyone, but it’s the life I’ve chosen.” Her chin raised in stubborn determination. “People think of Florida and imagine palm trees and sandy beaches. They don’t realize that we raise beef cattle and train rodeo horses. They don’t know that we grow more than oranges. Not very long ago, Florida was the second largest dairy producing state in the country. Now all the farmland is being bought up for theme parks, retirement condominiums, and ranchettes. The rich tourists and snow birds own us.”
Alex returned to sawing without saying a word. Lacey felt a twinge of guilt. Maybe this hadn’t been a good time to admonish his plans. He had just helped her son.
She hammered in another nail and then nodded toward his arm. “I guess you’d know something about medical treatment. It looks like you’ve had quite a bit of it, yourself. You want to tell me how that happened?”
She could tell by his hesitation that he didn’t want to talk about it, but he gave in and answered anyway. “There was an explosion aboard ship. One of the engineers was killed. I was in the gangway outside of the room.” Alex paused, and then added, “There’s more to it than just my arm. It was pretty bad. Does it bother you?”
“I know it bothers you for me to see it, but it shouldn’t. It’s just a part of you, a part of your history.” Lacey began hammering again.
“You know, most people are grossed out by it. You and your kids act like it’s no worse than a scratch. I don’t get it.”
“Well, a lot of people are idiots,” Lacey told him. “When you work in this business you can’t be squeamish. We have animals attacking each other, having accidents, and being born deformed. They’re often turned out by the others to fend for themselves or die. Sometimes we get to them in time to help, sometimes not.”
“Well, that little story really brightens my day,” Alex grumbled.
“The moral of the story is: we’re not animals,” her voice lowered. “Although, you may not have guessed by the way my children behave.”
Alex measured, cut and placed another board before he spoke again. “You once said I was perfect. As you can see, I’m not perfect anymore.”
Lacey’s eyes narrowed in contemplation. “Oh, I get it. You thought I was referring to your looks. No, I was talking about your batting stance. Yeah, definitely, you had a great swing.”
It was nice to hear Alex laugh again.
Chapter Seven
Lacey was lost in her thoughts as the beans boiled in a pot with bacon and the fish sizzled in the big iron skillet.
The sight of Alex’s injured arm bothered her more then she’d let on. Not for the reason that he’d expected, though. She knew that the accident must have been horrendous, followed by fear, pain and a long recovery. It saddened her to think of Alex suffering through that alone. Thank God he hadn’t lost his arm, or even worse, his life. It had taken every bit of willpower she had not to throw her arms around him and try to give him comfort.
She’d seen the way he carefully hid the scars. Whether he knew it or not, part of the pain was still with him. He seemed like such a confident man on the outside. Inside he was hiding a terrible insecurity.
They’d each gone through their own hell in the last thirteen years. It had changed the people they used to be, and yet, she still felt drawn to him. The truth was she didn’t want to miss him anymore. She’d learned to bury it long ago, but she’d never gotten over him.
Now that he knew most of her secrets, he’d give up the idea of marriage. She’d more than likely lose the Double J. But the one thing that could never be replaced was people. She wanted to keep Alex in her life. They’d only be friends now; too much water had passed under the bridge. But friends were priceless. She’d keep the memories of that month they’d been lovers like she always had, locked away in a secret place.
“Are you all right, Mom? You look a little spaced out.”
Lacey went back to stirring the hushpuppy mix. “I’m fine, Jenna. It’s just hot in this kitchen and I’ve had a long day. I appreciate you getting all the chores done. That helped a lot.”
“It was Mr. Benson’s idea.” Jenna filled a glass with water and sipped it as she leaned on the counter next to her mother. “He said we needed to stay out of your way while you took care of Jerrod. He helped me with a lot of it. He really is a nice man.”
“You seem to be getting along with him,” Lacey said. “I wish your brother would make an effort to be a little friendlier.”
“Jerrod’s just been all puffed up, playing
man-of-the-house.
It really threw him for a loop when we caught you two kissing. It kind of surprised me too. Sorry about the shotgun and all, but you have to admit it’s kind of funny, looking back on it now. I’ve already apologized to Mr. Benson. He’s really a great guy, you know. He’s handsome too. Is that what you were thinking about when I came in? Don’t you think he’s hot, Mom? You could do worse, you know.”
“Jenna, you just met the man a few hours ago!” Lacey turned away to hide the blush that was scalding her cheeks. Hell yes, she thought he was hot. “Go up and get ready for supper, and tell your brother to do the same.”
Jenna skipped up the stairs. God save her from young girls with romance on their minds.
****
Alex sat down to the best home cooked meal he’d had in many years. The catfish could melt in your mouth and the hushpuppies were light and crispy. Lacey had used her mother’s recipe for the coleslaw. It was creamy, not sour, the way northern people made it. On the counter sat a picture perfect key lime pie. After all the chaos that day, she’d found time to make a pie and remembered that key lime was his favorite.
He found Jenna to be utterly amusing and charming, but he didn’t know how she was able to eat, as much as she talked. She had a million questions for him about Orlando, and mostly, Disney World. He was amazed to learn they’d never been there. It wasn’t right for native Floridians to pass through childhood without meeting Mickey Mouse. He made a personal commitment to himself to take them as soon as Jerrod’s leg healed. He’d been there when he took employees for company outings. It might be fun to see it from a kid’s perspective. He was finding it hard to avoid the kids as he’d planned. This farm revolved around them. They were the biggest part of Lacey’s life.
At the other side of the table Jerrod picked at the food on his plate. Lacey must have noticed too.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight, Jerrod. Is your leg hurting worse?” she asked.
Jerrod glared at Alex as he answered. “My leg isn’t the problem, I just don’t care for all the changes going on around here.”
Lacey looked across the table to Alex, and then lowered her eyes to her plate. “Nothing’s changed that I know of.”
“You’ve changed,” Jerrod accused. “Since when did you start kissing men right in front of the house? You’re getting to be no better than Casey’s mom. Maybe all those people in town are right about you. Next thing I know, you’ll be wearing short skirts, high heels and tons of makeup. You’ll start staying out to all hours of the night in bars. God only knows who you’ll be dragging home with you next.”
Lacey stood so quickly, her chair clattered to the floor behind her. Her open hand shot out to slap Jerrod hard across his cheek. In the next second she looked devastated. She’d probably never touched the kid in anger. Given the opportunity, Alex could have kicked his skinny butt and not regretted it a bit.
A sob tore through Lacey’s throat as she ran out the back door. Both kids sat in stunned silence. They visibly jumped when the screen door slammed behind her.
Alex stood with the palms of his hands on the table. He leaned toward Jerrod with a menacing expression. “Jenna, could you leave your brother and me alone for a moment.”
“I-I don’t know,” she stammered.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill him. If he gives me any trouble, I’ll just make him wish he were dead.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jenna turned to her brother, raised both hands and made a pecking motion with her head, like a chicken. In return, Jerrod raised his hands and shook them rapidly. Jenna took on a superior smug expression and walked out of the room.
This sign language of theirs would take some getting used to. Alex took a few deep breaths before he spoke. “You were so out of line just then, young man. Your mother works too hard to have to put up with crap like that.”
“I don’t have to listen to you,” Jerrod sneered. “You’re nobody to me and you don’t even belong here. I’m going to my room.”
“Is that the best you’ve got…really?” Alex repositioned his feet and leaned closer. His nose was only six inches from Jerrod’s. “Let me fill in the parts you forgot. I’m twice your size, I’m five times stronger, I’m ten times meaner, and I could take you out with both hands tied behind my back. Now let me tell you how this is going to go. I’m going to find your mom and bring her back here so you can give her the most sincere and heartfelt apology she’s ever heard. If your butt moves out of that chair before that happens, I’ll chase you down. Makes you think about that bum leg, doesn’t it? Is there anything I’ve said that you don’t understand, you little monster?”
****
Lacey let her legs dangle over the end of the dock. The pink twilight sky made the surface of the lake look like a sheet of lavender tinted glass. If she had to leave the Double J, the lake was what she’d miss most. She’d never lived in a place where she couldn’t see the water from her window. But she’d decided that if she did have to move, it would be to a new town. She’d make a fresh start. She’d go to a place where people didn’t know every detail of her past. Her kids shouldn’t have to hear gossip about her.
Jerrod was clearly ashamed of her. That had been the worst pain she’d ever experienced. Then, to solidify his low opinion of her, she’d struck him. She wished she’d never gotten out of bed that morning.
Alex’s footsteps sounded on the wooden planks’ but she didn’t turn around. She was too embarrassed. He sat on the corner of the dock with his back against the rail post, facing her right side.
“If you’re thinking of jumping in the lake to end it all, let me know in advance.” He stretched out his legs and crossed his ankles. “These shoes set me back a couple hundred bucks. I’d want a chance to take them off before I dive in after you. There’s also my wallet and cell phone to consider.”
Alex always could make her smile.
“I’ve never heard Superman complain about having his cape dry-cleaned,” she replied. “I’ve never seen Batman ask for time to remove his utility belt. The Incredible Hulk never asks for a safety pin. If you’re going to be a hero, you’ve got to be tough.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “So that’s who you’ve been dating since I’ve been gone.”
Lacey shook her head. “You can tell by the way my kids reacted to you that my social life is fairly nonexistent. After today, I plan to keep it that way.”
“Well, if you’re off the market, maybe I should check out Casey’s mom. Do I know her? Is she cute?”
Lacey became serious. “I’m ashamed of Jerrod for talking about her that way. Donna Sullivan is a nice girl, trying to raise a kid on her own. She moved here a couple of years ago. The only job she could find was at the Road House, waiting tables at night. It hardly pays enough to make ends meet. And sometimes she looks for love in the wrong places. As you know, I’ve got my own reputation in this town, so I don’t judge her.”
Alex lowered his voice. “Where do you look for love, Lacey?”
“I don’t waste my time.” Lacey responded too quickly. It was the truth. She mostly kept to herself.
Alex paused in thought. “I suppose you’re waiting for Prince Charming to show up. If he does, you’ll have to move the compost pile behind the barn. He’ll need a place to stable his white steed, and royals have very sensitive noses.”
Lacey smacked his shoulder.
“Take it easy, slugger. You’ve got a nasty right cross.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Lacey recalled the scene in the kitchen and felt her eyes fill with tears. “I don’t know what came over me in there. I swear I’ve never hit one of my children before tonight. I’ve got to be the world’s most horrible mom.”
“You and Jerrod have both been under a lot of stress today, mostly because of me.” Alex scooted closer and put his arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just shown up the way I did.”
“That’s no reason for Jerrod to bait me the way he has today. It’s just not like him. You can ask anybody in Indian Lakes. He’s normally a great kid.” It was so easy to lean into Alex’s warm shoulder. What would it be like to have this comfort all the time? Lacey couldn’t afford to entertain that thought.
“Oh, I believe you, but you need to look at this from his point of view.” Alex tightened his hold on her. “Face it, sweetheart. Those kids didn’t miss the heat coming off the two of us, when they found us kissing. I was at the edge of my control. And I’m a stranger to them. Jenna thinks it was romantic, but Jerrod feels like he has to protect you. He’d like to punch my lights out, but he knows he’s too small. Then, to add insult to injury, he fell through the porch and hurt himself. I heard him scream and saw him cry-big ego buster, babe. To top that off, I had to carry him to his room.”
Lacey hadn’t realized how degrading all that must have been for her son. “What am I going to do?”
Alex stood and offered Lacey a hand up. They began walking back to the house. “Let me come back next weekend. Jerrod’s leg should be better by then. I could help him with his chores and spend some time with him. If we both live though the weekend, maybe we’ll start being friends.”
“You, here, for the whole weekend?” Lacey was astounded by Alex’s suggestion. A man in her house overnight? A smoking hot, built for sex, kind of man? What would people say? She should say no, but she couldn’t make the words come out. Instead, she changed the subject. “I can’t believe that your taking up for Jerrod after the day we’ve had. You don’t even like kids!”
“Yeah, I know.” Alex shrugged. “Go figure. Maybe I’m trying to make points with the kid in order to get close to his sexy mom.”