Page 80 of Moonshine Lullabies

“I think it’s nice,” he said, his big ol’ mitt tenderly on the back of her neck down low where he could pinch at the base and rub the tension out if he so chose. His touch was tender and it made me smile.

Despite his reputation for being hell on wheels all around the little bayou community we shared growing up, I always remembered Len as a kind boy with a gentleness to him that not a lot of other boys possessed. Granted, he was older ‘n both me an’ even J.P. by a couple years, but we’d had plenty of occasion to cross paths at folk gatherings around these parts.

He had a deep and abiding mean streak to him, sure; the apple didn’t fall from his daddy’s tree with that. But unlike his daddy, who was a mean fella all the time it seemed, Len reserved it only for those that earned it.

“Got a surprise for you,” J.P. said, dropping onto his ass by my chair. I glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow beneath my eye protection. He grinned up at me and said, “You’ll see when we get back to th’ shore.”

I nodded and nudged him with my foot, not bothering to holler from behind my mask.

“Oh, shit. Sorry,” he said, and he got up and moved off as I hit the switch on my Dremel to finish these last two skulls up afore we had to leave.

When I’d finished the last two designs for Alina to paint, I handed them over, where she set them in a neat row on her little table and then I finally felt like I could come up for some air.

Alina and Cor were excitedly chattering about all the ideas we had and John-Paul was peering at me funny from where he stood several paces away.

“What?” I asked as soon as my mask and goggles were off.

“Did you actually make some friends?” he asked deadpan and I looked for something to throw at him as he laughed his head off at me.

“Asshole,” I finally settled for muttering when there wasn’t anything at hand.

“Tate!” I called out, “C’mon in, now! Time to pack our things and get ready to go!”

“Aw, man!” he complained, “Col just got here!”

Collier said something like he was makin’ a deal with my kid and Tate nodded, pulling in his line and they moved about the boat to bring it on in.

“Hey baby,” Col said as he stepped up onto the barge and came right to me to kiss me.

I smiled and said, “Hey yourself. Get a lot done?”

“I surely did,” he said with a nod and I grinned.

“Good, me too.”

“Tate was tellin’ me you guys have a whole ass wild business plan made up. I can’t wait to hear it,” he said, and I felt my heart perk up and a smile bloom on my face.

Nice!I thought to myself.

It felt good that he cared and that he wanted to hear.

“Go on an’ take the skiff,” Len told us when we were fixin’ to leave.

“Y’all stayin’ here, then?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Hex declared and he gave me a hug. We all went from person to person hugging and sayin’ bye and before long, we were in the skiff with all our stuff and heading out into the swamp for shore.

“Well, I’ll be!” I declared as we drew close. “You got it drivin’!”

J.P. grinned at me and said, “Surprise!” as we pulled up to the doc. Collier held out the keys to my truck, and I leaped out the skiff onto the dock and did an excited little dance.

J.P.’s truck was there, too and Hex’s fancy RAM truck.

“Go on,” J.P. said. “We got this stuff.”

“You be careful with that skull!” I called back at the boys and I went to check out my new ride.

Tate came over with me with his poles and his tackle box and put ‘em in the back as I started ‘er up.

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