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My mind flashes to the sight of her by the creek, her hair slicked back, water dripping from her breasts.
“Oh wow, the look on your face,” Lacey says before I can manage a reply. “She must be hot. Are you seeing her?”
It’s been pointed out to me multiple times that I could never be a good poker player. My expression displays far too much no matter how hard I try to suppress it. “No. I caught her in my orchard, picking peaches. She didn’t realize she was on private property and brought the cobbler as an apology. That’s all.”
“She’s pretty though, isn’t she?” Lacey pursues.
She’s fucking beautiful. “I suppose.”
Lee grabs my empty dessert plate and his, getting to his feet to put them in the sink. “Help me grab some logs and we’ll get a fire started.”
“Sure.”
Lee offers me a shot of whiskey, which gets declined. The food has soaked up the few beers, but I’m not staying much longer, and I don’t drive buzzed. He leads the way down to the firepit while Lacey and Madison finish eating. By the time we have a fire going, they’ve moved out to sit on the patio again with a pitcher of margarita between them. Maybe it’s the effects of the alcohol making them unaware that they aren’t dropping their voices as low as they think, or maybe they don’t care, but we can hear their conversation clearly when Madison leans over to Lacey.
“No offense, your brother is hot and everything with that stern, grumpy thing he has going on, but tell me about Daddy Long Legs over there.”
Christ. Lee’s chest shakes with stifled laughter while he forces down his shot of whiskey.
“Arlow’s a good guy. Quiet, but he’s always been kind to me,” Lacey replies.
“I love the broody ones. How old is he?”
“I don’t know.” She raises her voice and calls out. “Arlow! How old are you?”
She rolls her eyes when I shake my head at her.
Lee makes a show of holding his hands to his mouth to amplify his voice. “Thirty-three!”
Bastard.
Lacey slaps her arm and stands up, grabbing the pitcher. “I’m getting eaten alive by mosquitos. Let’s go back inside.”
“Dick,” I mumble, after they’ve gone.
Lee chuckles and takes another shot. “Broody Daddy Long Legs.” We’re quiet for a few minutes until he looks over at me. “Do you still call her?”
There’s no need for him to explain who. He knows my past just as I know too well what he’s been through.
“I try not to.” Silence ticks away long seconds. “Not as often, but yeah, I still call.” His nod holds no judgement, only understanding. “Are you still going to therapy?”
He gestures to the water. “No, this is all the therapy I need.”
I get it. Nature helps me more than talking ever has. “Did you get the shingles you need to patch the Nolan’s place?”
Happy for the change to a lighter subject, Lee nods. “I did. Just waiting on the downspout that I had to order. Might as well get that replaced while I’m on the roof.”
We hang out and talk for another half hour or so before I thank him for dinner and go inside to grab Calli’s pan. Lacey is loading the dishwasher in the kitchen, and I spot the empty cobbler pan sitting at the edge of the sink, already washed.
“Hey, thanks.”
“No problem.” Her little side eyed grin is teasing. “I thought you’d want to get it back to her quickly.”
“I’m heading out. Stay out of trouble, you little instigator.”
I’m about three steps away from the door when Madison catches up with me. “Arlow, would you want to go out sometime? I can give you my number.”
Damn, so close to escape. She was straight and to the point, at least, instead of flirting and hinting. “I’m flattered, thank you. But I don’t date.”
