Authors: Reese Madison
He kept his hands PG while our mouths made slow sweet love to each other. He tastes like sweet coffee and a hint of mint. The flavors are giving me dessert ideas somewhere in the recesses of my brain. He’s busy consuming all my other brain cells with his expert kisses.
The buzzer went off making us both groan as we parted.
He took my hand and helped me up, “What do you do with Bits while you do your show?”
“He’s in there with me. Knocking over his water dish every five seconds.” I stood and turned the buzzer off.
“Here, let me get that.” He took the potholders from my hand and used his body to nudge me out of the way. “Do you have anything to drink?”
“I have water, iced tea, orange juice, some sodas in the garage fridge, and the rest is booze.” I took two glasses down from the cabinet.
“Iced tea please.” He set the pizzas on the extra wide stove top. I had semi-professional equipment installed in the kitchen when I bought this place. The old kitchen appliances were brand new, so I made an upgrade deal with a local electronics store. Worked out well for me because he was able to get discounts I couldn’t get on my own.
I poured two iced teas and pulled a couple plates from another cabinet. We loaded our plates and sat at the dining room table to enjoy some small talk over lunch.
There’s not enough time before I need to get started on the show to talk about Jackson, and how that will be handled. I need to talk to my lawyer before I can speak intelligently about it anyway.
Pretending all was right with the world is easy in Trace’s company. He ate one whole pizza, and drank the rest of the pitcher of iced tea, before we parted ways for the day.
This time I walked him to his truck, and got one hell of a goodbye kiss as a result. My neighbors are going to be over here soon. I can hear Gail now, “She’s kissing the snake guy in the driveway!!”
It’s been a while since I’ve dressed up because I wanted to. Jackson used to drag me to all those boring corporate meetings all the time, but I stopped putting the effort forth when I caught him drooling over the skinny chicks. I just wore simple pant suits and comfortable shoes for him since he didn’t seem to notice anyway.
I opened the door hoping for an approving nod. Instead we both stood like deer in headlights looking each other over.
He’s in a clean crisp long sleeve white dress shirt with a chunk of turquoise for a tie, and black jeans. These boots are polished, and the hat is MIA. If he takes his hair out of the ponytail holder, I’m taking a picture. Not that I don’t want to take a picture right now.
“Celeste, you’re stunning. Maybe we should stay in after all.”
I stepped towards him putting my hand on his chest to back him up. “No. You promised me a nice dinner.” I turned and locked the door before dropping my keys in his hand. “What are you going to do if you get a call while we’re out?”
“Hang on Cookie, I’ll explain how it works on the way there.” He came around the front of my car giving me another perspective view of the man I’m oddly drawn to.
He drove my car like it was built around him as he explained. “If I get a call it’ll be from Renee. She’s aware I don’t want to be disturbed tonight, especially the first few hours. If she calls, then I know it’s an emergency, and we’ll have to split.”
“We?”
He glanced at me, “Yes. We. Did you think I’d leave you there?? Forget that. In tonight’s case I know the owner, so we can split and come back if necessary. I’m hoping it’s not. When we go out other places I’ll warn the staff. Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Do you date a lot?”
“Does is matter?”
“Only if you plan to continue dating me. I don’t share.” I can be blunt. I can also be alone a lot better than I can be his Tuesday night gig.
“I don’t plan to date anyone else.”
“You don’t plan to, or you’re not going to, there’s a difference.”
“Evidently you’ve missed a few things since we met. I don’t plan to date anyone else, ever. I didn’t want to get married again, but you changed that when you opened the door Sunday morning. Did I date before you? Occasionally, but not seriously.”
“Do you keep in touch with your ex-wife?”
He looked over at me, “Jealous?”
“Maybe.”
He looked uncomfortable and shifted in his seat as he looked back to the road. “It’s a long story.”
“It’s an even longer road to get under this skirt if you don’t start talking.”
He glanced at me twice as he pulled onto Hwy. 60. “Sexual blackmail doc?”
“I’m all out of cookies.”
He ran his hand over his whiskers, “Well played love.”
Love?? Term of endearment. Move along. Move along. “Well? Do you keep in touch with the ex?”
“Not directly. Her brother was my best friend.”
“Was?”
“Afghanistan.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I call his mother now and then. Send her money. The ex, Lindsay, rears her ugly head now and then. I try to ignore it until it passes.”
“What does she want when she pops up?”
“Money.”
I nodded. If he’s sending money to his ex and the family of his best friend, that’s his business. Not mine.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just processing.”
“No you weren’t. You were thinking the exact same thing my mother tells me.”
“Which is?”
“Stop sending them money.”
“Not word for word, but close enough. Look, it’s your business. I’m here for the dinner, and to thank you for opening my eyes about Jackson, that’s all. I didn’t realize what a creep he was until yesterday.”
“It was purely selfish on my part. I set out to steal you from him. The only one that could have stopped me from pursuing you, gave me the thumbs up. Jason never stood a chance.”
“Jackson.”
“Really Celeste? You haven’t figured that one out yet?” He teased taking my hand and bringing my knuckles to his lips.
“I have this perverse need to scold you.”
“We’re going to explore this later.”
“Ha ha. Speaking of discipline. Your pig is not going to be happy with you when we get home.”
“‘We get home’. I like that.”
“Focus Wrangler.”
“Trace. Wrangler is more what I do, than who I am.”
“Would you rather everyone called you Trace?”
“No, just you and my mother.”
“Too personal?”
“My mother would never call me Wrangler. She says that’s not the name she gave me. My best friend Lee gave me the nickname. I honor him by using it.”
“But, you don’t want me to use it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You and your ‘why?’s. Figures I’d fall in love with a woman who wants inside my screwed up head.” He teased kissing my palm this time.
“You’re not in love with me, and don’t avoid answering the question. Why do you want me to call you Trace?”
“Because I like the way you say it.”
“Was that so difficult to say?”
“Yes. Did you put any cookies in that purse?”
“No. I’m smuggling all my cookies under this dress.” I bit my lip and grabbed the ‘oh shit’ handle as he swerved.
“Keep it up I’m going to hijack those cookies and we’ll both miss dinner.”
“How was your show today?” He asked once we placed our food order to sit back with our drinks.
“It was good. One thing about radio is you never really know if you’re helping these people or not. Sometimes I wonder if some calls aren’t jokes at my expense. I can’t call people out without risking pissing them off.” I waved it off. “Sorry. It can be a balancing act.”
“Makes sense. Do you see clients outside the show?”
“Video chats, some in person, like Slider. I do seminars and hold some group sessions too. What about you? I know you’re rebuilding your house. Do you have any hobbies outside work?”
“I ride with the club when I can. A couple years ago I did shows at the zoo. Reptile educational stuff for field trips. Budget cuts threatened to kill the program, so I do it for free now.”
“That’s very generous of you.”
“I like doing the shows. Gets my collection out of their cages for a change. I’m hoping when I sell the house to have enough money to buy a real habitat for them, and the ones we foster.”
“I hope you get to do that. I have some property out here in Gold Canyon. It’s not for sale, but that’s because I haven’t felt like messing with it. I was going to wait it out about ten years, then lease or sell it. Maybe you can make use of it while I’m waiting for values to go up.”
He dipped his head to the side and hooked his thumb under the hem of my dress. “Are you wearing a garter?” Looks like he wants to change the subject.
I smacked his hand away. “They’re cooler than hose. Stop that.”
He bit his knuckle before looking away. “That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”
“Tell me how you got into snake charming.”
“I’d rather…” He tried to get his finger hooked back under the hem.
I gathered his fingers in mine and put his hand in my lap so he’d behave. “I know you would, but you’re not going to charm these panties tonight. Tell me about yourself.”
“How did I get into snake charming? Well, I used to charm panties back in the day. That got me in trouble. Got me married to a woman I didn’t love. I set the women aside and went to Florida for couple years after my divorce. Lee had just passed away, so I went to see his father. He got me into wrestling and rescuing gators. We had our share of snakes too. When I finally went home I was ready to start my own company.”
“Lee’s parents were divorced?”
“Oh yeah. His mother raised four kids the best she could, but she’s always had trouble staying sober. Still does. My ex is the same way these days from what I understand.”
“Too bad.”
“It is what it is.”
“Is Lee’s father still around?”
“Oh yeah. I talk to him a few times a year. We swap war stories. I’m thinking about going back to do a little fishing with him sometime soon. You should go with me.”
“We just met.” I reminded him as much as myself.
“By then we’ll be engaged.” He topped off my wine, which means I need to slow down. We haven’t gotten to our entrees yet.
“Speaking of slowing down. Do you always move this quickly?”
“Depends on what I want. I want you more than any woman I’ve ever met. Pacing myself is not easy when I’m with you Cookie.” His fingers are walking my hem up. Thankfully there’s a nice long white tablecloth draped over my lap along with my napkin.
“Behave. Here comes our appetizers.”
He tugged my hem down and looked up to the server. “I’m going to need some coffee.”
“Yes sir.”
“Long day?”
“It’s been a long few days Cookie.”
“Is it because of your sudden interest in me, or is there something else going on?”
He shifted uncomfortably and shoved a shrimp in his mouth.
“That means there’s more. Spill it big guy.”
He swallowed and took a drink of water before wiping his mouth. I thought I was the procrastinator here.
“It can’t be that bad.”
“I’m never going to be rich. I didn’t set my life up to be rich.”
“Are you happy?”
“What? Yes. What kind of question is that?”
“If you’re happy, what difference does it make how much money you have?”
“It makes a difference when the woman I want to marry, and take care of the rest of my life, is used to expensive cars and fancy wines.”
“I really hope you don’t think I’m that shallow.”
“It’s a male pride thing. I can live off next to nothing, and have done so in order to get this company where it is today. I’m not saying this very well.”
“Sure you are. You don’t like that I make more money than you, and you don’t want to change. I don’t want you to change. Seriously Trace. If it was money I was after I’d have stayed with Jerry.”
“Jackson.”
I poked him in the stomach, “You’re not funny.”
“I’m not rich either.”
We made small talk after that. The money thing could be an issue. I’m not sure why he felt the need to take me to a fancy dinner to tell me this, so I asked on the way home.
“I’m so busy sometimes I wanted to make sure I took you out at least once before time gets away from me. Make sure you let me know when you get fed up with my schedule. I’m not very good relationship material. I’m hoping tonight buys me some brownie points.”
“Brownie points duly noted.” Why not? If I get the urge to go out, all I have to say is his brownie points are all used up, and need a refill. Sounds kind of fun. “I like going out now and then, but for the most part I’m a stay at home by the fire and read kind of girl. That’s why I bought the fancy house. I figured if I was going to live and work in the same place, it should be something nice.”
“You have a beautiful home. I’ve been stealing ideas from your decor to carry over to mine.”
“Steal all you want.”
“That’s another reason I wanted to take you out tonight. I need to tell you something about Jackson that’s going to make you very mad.”
“So you buttered me up first?”
“I like butter.”
“I’m not surprised. How many millions did he make off with?” I’m kidding, sort of. After looking over my accounts today I realized the numbers weren’t as high as Eddie and I discussed they would be a year ago.
His silence told me I was right.
“How much?”
“He was able to buy that condo with what he stole.”
I closed my eyes. “That’s almost a million dollars. How could I possibly be out a million dollars and not know it?”
“It looks like he used your money to make some rather risky investments. He reported the losses, and some of the gains, but most of the gains went into another account he’s been writing checks from. The paper trail ends up getting tangled in some fake small companies. Joe outlined the details for me in an email for me. When you’re ready I’ll show it to you.”
“I’ll look at it in the morning. Then send it to my lawyer. I can’t believe he did this to me. I knew something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.”
“We’re going to have to see that you know a little more about your finances honey.” He scolded carefully.
I groaned, “Yeah yeah, and I’m a fool for being so trusting. Let’s not rub it in.”
“It’s a good thing I came along when I did. He might have bankrupted you.”
“Are you trying to make me feel better?”
“No. I want you to be less vulnerable. I love you. I have a dangerous job. I may not always be around to protect you.”
“You’re just a basket of bunnies tonight aren’t you?”
He pulled into my driveway and put the car in Park. “There’s something else I haven’t told you.”
“You’re on a roll, don’t stop now.” Sarcasm is not my specialty.
“That wasn’t a pregnant rattler in your shed. That was a well fed rattler. One that’s been fed for a while in there. Who normally gets things from your shed?”
“Me. I don’t usually let the kids in there because of the sharp tools and such, but Mark promised to be careful, and I was a few feet away watching him.” My stomach churned.
“I’m running some tests on the digested rats. If I can trace where they got their food last, and which pet store they were purchased from, I might be able to tie it to Jackson. It could take a couple weeks to do all that though.”
“Are you saying Jackson fed a rattlesnake in my shed in hopes I’d go out there and get bit and die?? Why? What would he have to gain?”
“Nothing. Yet.”
“That’s why he wanted to get married. He wanted to be my widow to get everything I own.” I can’t believe I slept with a con artist!!
“I’m sorry sweetheart. This is not fun for me to have to tell you all this.”
“I can’t believe he planned my death. That’s a really fucked up feeling. Knowing somebody wants you dead so bad they’d plan it out so perfectly.”
“Not too perfectly. There’s no way that snake could have gotten into your backyard without some help.”
“They can’t climb walls?”
“Not one that size. She’d have had to climb in over a year ago.”
“Oh my God. What if it’s been in there that long??”