Page 24 of Absolute Valor

“Over here, Audrey.” Claire tugged on my shirt from behind. “We have a table already to go.”

Sure enough, beside one of the small trailers was a table shaded by the trees along the back. Following the girls over, I took a seat as a man wearing an apron placed a covered dish in front of me. Pulling back the foil, my stomach rumbling from the full plate before me. The music stopped and an announcer spoke into the microphone, thanking everyone for making the ride a success, which confused me, I thought we were going to Florida.

“Lainie,” I whispered, “What happened to going to Florida? That guy made it sound like this was the end.”

She leaned back to me. “We,” she pointed to the table, “are going to Florida, a side bargain Priscilla got out of the deal.”

Tucking back into my plate, the slices of brisket were calling my name. I loved barbeque; so much so it was a good thing I couldn’t afford it. I was like a dog that would rather have their stomach burst than to stop eating the stuff. After the Morgans were thanked again for the generosity of this party, Dean and Priscilla took the mic, the three boys behind them, sharing how much her daddy would have loved this.

“Audrey, I’m sorry. I swore to Priscilla I wouldn’t bring this up, but I have to know.” Lainie looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was looking. “Why were your hands down Chase’s pants in broad daylight?” Her eyes were wild with wonderment, but her voice was low as if she were sharing trade secrets.

Wiping my face with my napkin, I washed my mouth clean with a drink from my cup. “At the gas station, Chase asked me to get him something from inside. He gave me way too much money and wouldn’t take it back when I tried to return it—said it was a handling fee or something. So I tricked him into thinking he was helping me back on the bike and slipped it into his pants instead.”

Claire cracked a smile as she turned to Lainie, “It’s you and Austin all over again.”

Lainie tossed her a look of disbelief, slamming her hand on the table as she turned to face her. “Me? I wasn’t the one who sat in my living room thinking my boyfriend was cheating on me with a woman old enough to be his mother!”

Claire jumped back in her seat, “I saw them hugging! What was I supposed to think? He had a reputation at the time. Besides I was talking about how you had Austin thinking you were this gold digging high school dropout instead of a well versed computer genius.”

Knowing both stories, and frankly not caring, I turned back to the slab of smoked ribs. “With Chase and Audrey, he is boots over Stetsons and she is in denial. Just like you and Austin.” The two looked at one another, then turned to me, rib between my fingers and a mouth full of smoked goodness.

“She’s right, you know. He is all puppy eyes for you, and I can imagine what you’re thinking cause it would be what I would be thinking, too. Take my advice, let him take care of you—”

Sick of the direction this was headed, I interrupted her. “First, you don’t know what I’m thinking. You have no clue about me, or what I am about. I don’t want or need to be taken care of. I’m not going to take money from a man I didn’t truly earn, because they always keep score on what they’ve done for you. Dylan and Chase are the owners where I work, a job I really need, so I would like to keep things clean and not muddy those waters. He ended a relationship where the girl turned out to be a psychotic and a thief. The last thing he is gonna want is another girl. Besides,” I waved my hand, “I’m as country as corn flakes. What kind of interest could a man like Chase have in me anyway?” I looked back to the pair. Their attention was no longer on my face, but above and behind me.

“Hey, Sweetness.” Chase pulled the chair to my left out, spun it around, and then fluidly poured his body into the space. With his left side tucked into the table, his right arm halfway between the two of us, confused eyes pleaded with mine. “Care to take a walk with me?”

Agreeing to, what could possibly be the most uncomfortable conversation I’ve ever had, I stood from my chair. Chase stands from his seat, his brothers silent as they embrace each girl, and I know this isn’t going to go in my favor. “We’ll meet you guys in say…twenty minutes.” Chase tossed over his shoulder.

I haven’t been this close to Savannah since the night my parents died and Granny drove down to get me. I’d never ventured on this side of the highway. Nothing over here for a young girl less than eighteen, unless you wanted to get into trouble with the truckers blowing through. Chase takes my hand, using the tips of his fingers first, to test the waters—or poke fun of me—either way, we’d find out soon enough. When he intertwines our hands, I want to assume it is because he wants me close. But I believe what I told the girls back there, I’m too ordinary, and carry too much baggage for a guy like this—one who is dealing with his own set of demons.

“Did you have any pets when you was growing up, Audrey?” His focus was on the cement of the parking lot, and how his shoes worked to meet it. The hand not holding mine is in his pocket, buried all the way up to the middle of his wrist.

“No,” I shake my head. “We barely had money to feed ourselves, much less a dog or cat.”

Chase nodded his head, his face turned slightly in my direction, those eyes still confused. “Well we had a number of pets over the years. Matter of fact, we had this old bloodhound, Skeeter. Now, Skeeter was the runt of the litter when our neighbor was breeding his hounds for hunting dogs. Daddy would let us ride over to the barn where the puppies were kept, and we all fell in love with this tiny critter. After all the others were sold, Daddy went over and got the dog for us. Skeeter followed us everywhere we went. If Momma wanted one of us for something, she would send the dog after us. One afternoon, Momma had some ladies from the church over to discuss whatever it is you ladies discuss. Anyway, there was something that either fell or she couldn’t reach, so she sent Skeeter to find Dylan, only the dog had other plans. See, one of those ladies was the neighbor’s wife, and their female dog was in heat. Skeeter got a whiff of the dog’s scent on her, knocked the lady over, and proceeded to hump the poor woman’s legs.”

My hand slapped over my mouth, eyes wide. “No!”

Chase smiles at the memory, “Oh, yes. With Skeeter being a full grown dog, it took several people to pull him off her, but not before he left a gift all over her black slacks.”

I can picture this large floppy eared dog tackling this frail older lady, her flowered hat tumbling across the carpet as this mammoth dog begins thrusting on her. “That poor lady.” I offer.

“Oh, she was fine. I laughed the whole time it was happening. My Momma on the other hand cried for days out of embarrassment.”

Pulling me to a stop, I noticed we were far enough away from all the activity and no one could hear us. “I need to apologize to you. Being brought up by two strong male influences has made me into the man who stands before you. I’m tough when I need to be, and gentle when the moment calls for it. What I am not, is a man who steps in where I’m not wanted. I’ve spent the last…too damn long, trying to push myself into your life.”

Standing face to face, his hands are at his side as he takes in a deep breath. “I know I made you cry today, I could hear your sniffles, and saw how blotchy your face got until you pulled down your visor. I’m sorry for hurting you and if you still have feelings for Lucas, I swear I will try and stand back.” Adjusting his feet, he steps closer as he reaches up with his hands, taking my face between his palms. “But if you’re free from him, and can accept my apology, then I’d like to see how happy I can make you.”

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