Page 77 of Driftwood Daffodil

She just stood there digging the pointed end of her stick in the ground. Until someone called her out on it, then she was busy for all of five minutes.

Can’t say I blamed her. Mundane work was boring as fuck, but it still had to get done. Then again, there were extenuating circumstances in this situation.

The corner of my mouth curled as a pair of blazing hazel eyes rolled my way and a small finger lifted in the air. That was the third time she flipped me off. Each and every time I responded with the same small wave.

Sure, I could’ve parked somewhere a little more inconspicuous, but then I’d miss that indignant eye roll – which was almost as satisfactory as the way Nova stomped around the yard, huffing out her frustration. That girl redefined the word brat.

I couldn’t help but wonder if a firm hand would improve her attitude? Probably not. She was so stubborn that she’d probably flip the reaper off if he came knocking on her door.

Still…

My eyes flowed over the spaghetti straps of her pink tank top and down to the denim cut off shorts hugging her waist. The way the fabric was cradling her ass was making me reconsider my view about jeans on girls.

Typically I preferred a more feminine appearance. Summer dresses, skirts, and stuff like that. But I could get behind the sweaty bored look Nova had going on. Daisy Duke didn’t have shit on that. Which rose another question…\

How the fuck did a scumbag like Simon Fisher get a girl like that?

Was she the one he offered to trade for his debt? I kind of wanted to punch some sense into his thick skull. For as much as I hated Novalee Ford, I’d still admit that there was no way a guy like that would do any better. And he was going to just throwher away? I didn’t know what pissed me off more. His blatant stupidity, or the fact that his fucking name kept coming up.

Simon was starting to become a major thorn in my side. Mind you, Atlee didn’t help. Every day he asked if Simon paid his debt. So my opinion might be slightly biased. I had to talk Atlee out of giving him daily reminders. That one I did understand. Mainly because I was tempted to break Simon’s face just to shut Atlee up.

Sometimes I think he enjoyed the violent side of life a little too much. But at least he was honest about it. Atlee was pretty much an open book. Darry on the other hand… I loved the guy, but there was something wrong with him. Kind of like the disturbing connection between Simon and Novalee. That was one I didn’t see coming.

I looked down to change the radio station when a loud bang rang out. My hand immediately shot out for the glove box where I kept a 9 mm, until I spotted streaks of clear fluid running down my windshield and a plastic bottle rolling across my hood. But it was the image I saw through the wet glass that made me grit my teeth.

Nova smiled, shrugged and mouthed the word ‘oops’.

Oh, she wants to play does she?

Resting my forearms on the steering wheel, I leaned in and smiled. When suspicion narrowed her eyes, I tipped my chin at the priest standing behind her with his arms crossed. One look at his stern face made her shoulders slump. She shot me a quick dirty look before stomping off to do her work.

The priest looked over at me but was satisfied with a dismissive wave. I however was getting more and more annoyed the longer I sat here. Those two guys were still struggling with that fucking log.

At this point they should just tie a rope to it and play tug of war. This shit was too painful to watch, but not as painful as knowing that Nova once called herself Simon Fisher’s girlfriend.

She hadn’t so much as given one guy in school a second glance, and she dated him. Why? What the fuck was so special about Simon Fisher? And could we use it to our advantage? That question was one I intended to get an answer for.

Atlee and Darry were currently doing a little pick up and should be here soon.

I glanced down at my watch at the same time as a familiar engine rev roared down the street. A few seconds later Atlee’s cherry red Porsche pulled up beside me. And I wasn’t the only one to notice the sports car. Half the heads in the churchyard turned to look. All because fucking Atlee had to drive like he was in the middle of a goddamn race. I’d slap him for that latter. Then again…

My eyes zeroed in on the way Nova’s fist tightened on her stick. It appeared as if little miss calm and cool was agitated.

“Hey,” Atlee called through my open passenger window. “Did it rain?”

Really?“Yes Atlee it rained, but just on the hood of my car.”

His brows knit. “Rain can do that?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose while a hand shot out from behind Atlee and smacked him in the back of the head.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Darry grumbled.

“Hey,” Atlee looked back over his shoulder. “Strange weather patterns have been known to happen. It’s called global warming jackass.”

“Global warming doesn’t make it rain in one spot.” Darry argued.

Atlee retorted with, “But it could.”

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