Sweet Southern Nights

Chris grunted. “Things have to be settled by Monday. That’s the court date. And I leave next Wednesday.” With that remark, he picked up the motorcycle helmet sitting on the hood of Eva’s Jeep and tucked it under his arm before turning toward Jake. “This guy need his ass whipped before I go?”

Eva managed a smile. “Nah, that’s just Jake.”

“If he bothers you, let me know. I could use some fertilizer for my roses.”

Jake had no idea what was going on, but he was tired of the subterfuge. Looking at Eva, he said, “Who is this asshole?”

Chris growled and took a menacing step toward Jake.

Eva jumped in front of Chris, punching the beast on his arm. “This is Chris, my older half brother.”

“This is Chris?”

Eva nodded. Chris bared his teeth. Jake started laughing.

“This is the guy who developed the prize-winning hybrid teacup roses? The horticulture guy?” Jake asked, relaxing a little.

Chris crossed his arms. “You know, I get tired of this shit. What did you expect? Some skinny dude slumped over in a lab coat, looking at you through Coke-bottle glasses. What? A botanist can’t have tats?”

“No, you just surprised me. The way Eva talks about you, I just expected—”

“A pansy?” Chris said, a slight twinkle in his eye even though he still looked annoyed.

Jake pulled himself from the wall and walked toward Chris. He handed Eva her beer and extended his hand. “I’m Jake Beauchamp. I stand shoulder to shoulder with Eva every day.”

“Not really,” Eva said, her tone slightly peevish, but Jake knew what she meant. It was rare the captain sent Eva into an assault first. It was a hard thing, being a female firefighter. Most of the men in their unit had been brought up with the notion of carrying packages or opening doors for the fairer sex. Times were a-changing, but the very nature of the men in Magnolia Bend had a lot of catching up to do. Most still said yes, ma’am,and some thought a woman’s place was either in the home or in traditional female-dominated jobs like being a teacher or nurse.

“But we do work together.”

Chris took his hand and delivered a bone-crushing handshake. “I’d say it was good to meet you, but you’ve already pissed me off.”

“Oh, come on.” Eva punched him in the biceps again. “Be a sport. No one expects a guy like you to dote on dahlias.”

Chris managed a grin that nearly cracked his face. Like the Tin Man, he probably needed some oil. “Dahlias are my weakness. Okay, what the hell. Bygones and all that.”

Jake pulled his hand back and tried not to wince at the throbbing pain that the man’s handshake had induced. “I’m glad to finally meet you.”

Chris jerked his head toward the bike. “Gotta run. Guys are waiting.”

“I’ll talk to you later, okay?” Eva said, lifting on her tiptoes. Chris bent down so she could buss his granite jaw with a kiss.

Then with a slap on her ass, Chris straddled his hog and fired it up. “Later.”

Both Jake and Eva turned and watched him roll out.

“What was that all about?” Jake asked, turning toward his friend.

“Just stuff,” Eva said with a shrug of her shoulders, shoving her hands into the back pockets of her shorts. She used her fake happy voice. Something was wrong, but she wasn’t the type to lay her cards on the table. He’d find out...eventually.

“Worried me for a moment. Looked intense.”

Eva made a face. “Jeez, Jake, you think you have to save the world, don’t you? I’m not some weak female who needs the tough Jake Beauchamp rescuing her.”

“I know. And I don’t treat you that way. You know that. But you’d do the same for me.”

She tilted her head and it made her look cute. Like a teenager. He liked when she did that. “I don’t interfere with you and what you do in a parking lot anymore. Remember?”

Jake laughed. “It was a bucket list thing.”

“Twins?”

He wasn’t going to admit they’d just been goofing off and not really having a three-way. He’d become legendary after Eva and Monk Lewis had caught him with the Bertrand twins messing around in the back of his pickup truck. Okay, so the twins had stripped down to their underwear and they’d all been a little drunk. The whole thing had ended there, and he’d never even scored with either one of them that night...but Eva didn’t know that. “It’s every guy’s fantasy.”

“You’re sick, you know that?”

“But you love me anyway,” he said, slinging an arm around her neck and tugging her into a noogie.

“Stop, Jake, you’re messing up my hair,” she shrieked, elbowing him in the ribs, trying to keep hold of her beer.

He let her go, grinning at her. Her slick-backed hair stuck up in big mounds. “Looks better.”

She tugged the rubber band from her hair, and thick brown locks tumbled around her shoulders. “Now look what you did. I don’t have a brush with me.”

Her hair had honey highlights that caught in the parking lot lights. She looked pretty with her hair down, softer and more like a woman. “I like it like that. You should wear it down more often.”

Eva’s lips turned down. “Gets in the way.”

“But it makes you look pretty. Keep it down. You’ll have a better chance of getting lucky tonight.” Even as he said the words, he wanted to reach out and snatch them back. Eva was his friend, but even so, he didn’t like the idea of her with another guy. Which was stupid.

She snorted. “With who? Do you ever look past the bimbos in Ray-Ray’s? It ain’t exactly brimming with available guys...who have all their teeth.”

“Then why are you here?”

Eva started toward the entrance. “Because I’m tired of watching reruns. Nothing on TV and Jenny wanted to get out. She’s on the rebound. The banker broke up with her.”

Jake rubbed his hands together. “Perfect.”

Eva turned around and pressed a hand into his chest. “Don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because you can be a nice guy, right? Dance with her. Buy her drinks. But don’t prey on her, Jake.”

Something in her tone punched him in the solar plexus. “That’s what you think of me? Jesus, Eva, I don’t screw everything in a skirt.”

“No, you screw everything in a skirt, pants and shorts. I’ve been around you for a few years. I know you.” That tone again. Eva thought he was nothing more than a gigolo, spreading himself around town. But he wasn’t. Well, not really. He’d never sleep with someone who couldn’t go toe-to-toe with him.

For the first time in forever, he felt embarrassed about the way he lived his life. At the hands of Eva. She never made him feel lacking. Eva was always on his side.