Right Where We Started. Pamela Hearon

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СКАЧАТЬ sunshine. His erection sprang to life at the memory of his almost-one-time girlfriend.

      Yeah, she reminds me of Kaitlyn, too, Daddy whispered. Her name’s Audrey, though.

      The two women hugged, bouncing happily back and forth, and the red strands swayed softly, mesmerizing him like a hypnotist’s watch.

      “You’ve straightened your hair. I love it!” The shorter woman smoothed her palm along the ends appreciatively, and Trey’s hand itched to do the same—to wind them up into his hands, to get that kiss she always promised but never gave.

       You mean, you never took. Just having a beard doesn’t make you a man.

      “I’ve been getting blow-outs.” The redhead turned her head toward him for just a fraction of a second before flipping it back around.

      “Well, it’s beautiful.”

      Trey agreed, revisiting the glimpse of face he’d been granted when she turned toward him.

      “Thanks.” The redhead’s voice was low and silky, like her hair.

      “I hear you and your husband divorced, and your dad died. I’m so sorry. And you’re back here, taking care of your mom?” The shorter woman’s head tilted in sympathy.

      Audrey sighed. “Yeah, back in good ol’ Taylor’s Grove.”

       She’s divorced. Grieving. Lonely, I’ll bet. Lives in Taylor’s Grove. Must be close around here.

      “And how’s your mom doing?”

      A shrug caused the red hair to shimmer under the slight movement. “Not great. Sometimes better than others. We just take it a day at a time.”

      “Well, she’s blessed to have you. Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease. Such a damn horrible disease.”

      Trey’s pump stopped and he replaced the nozzle. The women were still talking.

       Don’t walk away from her yet. Find out all you can. Might come in handy.

      Trey sloshed the squeegee from the bucket of gray water and swiped it across his windshield.

      Audrey turned long enough to insert her credit card to start her pump. She didn’t glance his way. But he got a good, long look at her creamy complexion and eyes with long black fringes of lashes.

       See the way she’s ignoring you? Being coy. Means she likes you.

      The hard-on was agonizing now. He’d have to go to the restroom, but not until she left. He checked the oil level in his truck and still they talked.

       Her daughter’s name is Tess, and she’s in the first grade. Did you notice how the mention of her teacher’s name—Mark Dublin—brought a shocked gasp from the other woman. Wonder what that’s about?

      The pump on Audrey’s side clicked that it was finished. The women started saying their goodbyes, and the shorter woman walked back to her car.

       Now’s your chance. Say something, idiot. Be a man.

      Trey shook his head.

       She’s getting her receipt. Now. Do it before she drives off. Just say “Hi.”

      Trey opened his mouth, but her door slammed before he could get the word out. It caught on the back of his tongue as he watched her drive away.

       Didn’t you hear me?

      “I heard you, Daddy.” Trey kept his voice low.

       I said to speak to her, and you didn’t. Open defiance. You know what that means.

      Trey glanced at the belt lying on his front seat.

      No one was waiting for his pump, so Trey left the truck and sought his relief in the small restroom, where he could lock himself away from the world for a few minutes.

      Before returning to the truck, he pulled a map from the display rack and tossed it on the counter. “Can you show me where boat ramps are in these parts?” he asked the kid working the register.

      The kid opened the map and grabbed a pen. “If you’re just wanting to put in, there’s a bunch all around here.” He started circling places on the map.

      Trey’s eyes wandered the area of the map around Benton. The name Taylor’s Grove jumped out at him. Seeing how close it was made his heart beat fast.

       See there. She’s close. Waiting for you right there.

      “But, if you’re needing bait or anything, there’s several marinas that sell it.” The kid made an M over several sites, including Taylor’s Grove.

      Bait. Daddy’s chuckle made him shiver. You have to use the right bait to get the one you want. You understand.

      Trey nodded. “Yeah. I’m going to need some bait.”

       Now you’re thinking like a man.

      Trey could almost feel the slap on his back.

      “Beecher’s in Taylor’s Grove would be the closest.” The teenager ran his finger along the line on the map, pointing out the road to Draffenville and the turn he would have to take to go on over to Taylor’s Grove and Kentucky Lake...and Audrey.

      “Never heard of Taylor’s Grove.” He did a little subtle fishing without Daddy’s prodding. “Very big place?”

      “Tiny,” the kid answered. “Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Go to the end of town and turn left on Beecher Road. It dead-ends at the marina.”

       Hear that? A tiny place. So finding out where someone lives probably wouldn’t be too hard.

      Trey paid for his gas and the map and made a point of thanking the kid for his help, then he got in his truck. His stomach growled, the familiar gnaw growing too quickly to be ignored.

       Time to go fishing, son. Find the highway to Taylor’s Grove. To Audrey with the silky red hair.

      He obeyed and turned the truck toward the highway.

      * * *

      TESS RACED OUT of the school, waving a picture she’d drawn. “Can we stop to see the puppies on the way home?”

      Audrey glanced at the picture—Tess’s rendition of a mother dog and three puppies. She grinned down at her daughter. “What? No ‘Hi, Mama’ or a hug?”

      Tess threw her arms around her waist for a tight hug. “Hi, Mama. Can we? Please?”

      “We’ll have to check with Mr. Dublin. He might have plans, so we can’t just be showing up at his house all the time.” The idea seemed so foreign to Audrey—making an appointment to go to Mark’s house. But nothing was the СКАЧАТЬ