Lost in You: Petal, Georgia, Book 2 (15 page)

He stumbled into the bathroom briefly and came back, collapsing next to her. He heard the door hinge squeak as Buck pushed in.

“Hang on, I’ll shoo him out.”

She put a hand on Joe’s thigh. “Nah, he’s okay.”

Indeed, Buck had settled in his bed near the closet. Laughable since the dog normally jumped up and slept in Joe’s bed.

“Good to see you use those company manners, Buck.”

Buck barked and went back to chewing on his toy.

“Do you have to be at work in the morning?”

He drew lazy lines up and down her spine, unwilling to move more than that as they lay in his bed in a warm tangle.

“Not until ten. I’m done at two. Want to go for a ride in the afternoon?”

She smiled, rolling over.

“Mmm. You know how much I love that booty. But hot damn, this is my favorite side of you.”

She laughed. “Good to know. I’d love to go on a ride tomorrow afternoon. Want to come over to dinner on Sunday? It’s at Tate and Matt’s this weekend. She’s feeling a little better, but Polly Chase is making a turkey. For kicks, because she’s weird. But wonderful. Like freshly baked bread.”

“She sort of is. But scary. I just fixed her Lincoln last week. She’s good for business.”

Beth giggled. “I know I shouldn’t laugh. Polly is pretty amazing, actually. She’s good at so many things. But she is the world’s worst driver. It’s cute how all her sons scramble to find ways to give her rides so she won’t get behind the wheel. When they cart all the kids around, Edward drives the big van.”

“I don’t know about Sunday.” He was trying to spend at least one night a week with his parents. He stopped by daily as well, but dinner was a way to keep an eye on his dad, to see how this new treatment was working. And to watch his mother too. The stress was taking a toll on her.

She shrugged. “If you decide you can make it, come over. You know it’s not fancy or anything. Bring Buck with you or the kids will be sad.”

Buck barked under his breath.

“Like he’d have it any other way.”

“Bring your parents if you like.” The hesitation in her voice tore at him.

“I’ll see. If I can make it, I’ll see if they can too. I can’t promise, but I’ll try.”

She didn’t say anything else.

He pulled her close, nuzzling her neck until the tension in her spine lessened. He’d talk to her about it once this treatment worked. When they were on the other side of this mess.

Chapter Eleven

“I can’t believe you got me my very own helmet.”

The way she smiled up at him made him warm inside.

“Well, I mean. I had an extra one. I just wanted you to have one for when we went out on a ride. We’re not going to be able to do this for several months once it gets rainy and cold.”

“Yes. But you made it all customized. You’re adorable. Did you know that?”

“I can shoot an M16. I’m not adorable.”

She laughed, clearly delighted. “You totally are.” She snuggled up to him as they stood in line to get their food. “Denying it only makes you cuter. So there. Catch 22. I win. End of story.”

He kissed the top of her head, keeping her close.

“I’m so hungry.”

“Is that your way of telling me you aren’t sharing your rings?”

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes. “Joe, who shares rings here? Get your own. I might let you have a bite of my fried peach pie. Maybe. You could get an apple one and we can share.”

“Please. You’re cutthroat when it comes to pie. I’m having a shake anyway.”

When they got to the counter she was ready. “Chili cheese dog, rings, fried peach pie and a large tea.”

The lady behind the counter approved of her proficiency with a quick nod before she looked to Joe, who gave her his order, and added a fried apple pie because he knew she’d want a bite anyway.

They settled in a table, a pile of food between them. Not much talking happened for a few minutes until she sat back with a happy sigh.

“I don’t even know who invented fried pie. But God bless ’em.”

“You have a pie problem.” He grinned.

“I know. I should probably go to some twelve-step program. But then I’d have to give up pie. I can admit I’m powerless over it and all. That’s the easy part.”

“Why pie?”

“It’s Tate.” She paused, and he knew she was struggling with something. But in the end, Beth waved a hand. “She’s magic in the kitchen. She got me hooked. But the Sands makes a pretty mean pie and cobbler too. In a pinch.”

“There’s a story.”

She met his gaze, held it. “If you want me to share, you have to share too. That’s how it works.”

He sighed. “This isn’t the place.”

“Oh it’s never the place. Or the time. I’m beginning to get tired of it. You’re giving me a complex. Are you afraid you can’t trust me?”

“No. It’s not that. At all. I just…it’s complicated and I don’t want to talk about it. My dad is dealing with health problems. You’re making way more out of it than it warrants.”

She looked him over, clearly disappointed. And truth be told, he was pretty disappointed in himself for ducking her question. But he had so little time that was free of the mess with his father. Was it so wrong to want to keep that out while he had Beth all to himself?

The rest of their lunch went fine. She teased him here and there. Held on as they rode back to Petal. But there was a distance between them. Of his own design. Once it was there, he realized just how much she’d worked to fill it before.

The sun was setting by the time they rolled back into town. He pulled up at her place.

“Want to come in? There are some good movies on cable. I was going to watch one and eat popcorn. You can even go get your son to bring him over. I noticed he liked popcorn.”

He snorted a laugh. “That dog loves everything. Popcorn. Carpet lint. Whatever.” He paused. “Yeah. I’ll be back in a few.”

“You can spend the night if you like.”

“I’ve got to be at the shop early.”

She shrugged. “Okay. See you in a few minutes.” She turned and went inside.

Beth called in the shampoo and color order and tapped her pen.

“Stop that tapping. I’m going to get a tic in my eye,” Tate called out. “Come out here and tell me what the hell is going on.”

“I’m working.”

“You are not. Come out here. I have brownies.”

Well, why didn’t she say that up front?

“All I’m gonna say is if you lead with that, people will be far quicker to comply with your imperious demands.” She put a mug of hot water with a teabag in it at Tate’s station.

“Hello, Beth.” Polly Chase reached out to squeeze Beth’s hand.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Chase.” She smiled at Polly and then looked back to Tate. “Brownies?”

Polly laughed.

“Over there. Cookies too. Figured you might want some extra to take over to Joe.”

“Joe can get his own cookies.” Beth shoved half a brownie in her mouth and let the chocolate soothe her annoyance. “The man is going to make me gain fifteen pounds from annoyance eating.”

“Ah, so the pen tapping is about a man.” Polly sighed. “They can be so infuriating. But they’re also cute and handy and they can reach high shelves and they pump your gas so your hands don’t get smelly.”

Beth laughed. “Sure. And they put out a lot of heat so you use less electricity to keep warm. And they look nice in jeans. They say sweet things, especially if they think they might get lucky.”

“What has Joe done to make you cranky then, sweetie pie?”

Polly Chase had a way about her. Soothing in a very no-nonsense way. She was a lot like a mother to Tate, and when Tate had come into the Chase family, Polly had not only taken in Tate, but all the Murphy kids. She was normal. She and her husband had a loving, thriving marriage and a healthy family. No one got drunk and hit anyone. No one called anyone fat or stupid. Her advice meant something.

She sat, watching Tate backcomb and spray Polly’s long hair up into her signature style. Helmet hair, as Anne called it. But it worked on Polly, as most things did. Beth figured it was because nothing, not even a hairdo, dared not to work on Polly Chase.

“He’s nice to me. Respectful. He never even looks at other women. Well, he’s good at making me think so, which is fine. He makes me laugh. I love his dog. He makes me feel beautiful. But he has a wall up.” She shared a little about the situation with his family and how Joe froze up any time she invited them anywhere or asked about them.

“I’ve heard things around town about Carl.” Polly folded her hands in her lap. “Erratic behavior. He’s been banned from a few places. That’s got to be rough on Joe. Sometimes you have to be patient. Other times though? Well, other times you have to push a little. Only you can know when and if it’s that time.”

“Maybe he’s ashamed. Maybe Carl has a drinking problem. Or drugs.” Tate kept working as she spoke.

“I don’t know. I could poke around. People know he and I are together. They come up to me all the time and try to talk about it. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t gossip like that.”

Polly smiled then.

“Mrs. Chase, you’re scary when you smile like that.”

“She’s sneaky.” Tate squeezed Polly’s shoulder.

“It’s a good smile. You surely do care about him to protect him like that. Gossip can be fun. But it can also be mean and come from a bad place. You’re smart to keep that away from yourself. For what it’s worth? I think Joe Harris is a good boy. He talked about you nonstop when I was in for repairs last week. And the time before that. I’ve never heard you talk about anyone like this. I like that. I know he’s come to dinner a few times at Tate and Matt’s. Why don’t you ask him to come to our house this Sunday?”

“I invited him last weekend and he ducked it. Well, I invited him and his parents. I’ve asked them over for dinner more than once. I’ve asked them out to dinner. I considered just going over or calling his mother myself, but that’s way too meddlesome. I don’t want to go around him.”

“You want him to want it on his own.”

“Yes. Anyway, we have a date tonight. Dinner after work at the Sands. I’ll ask him then. Maybe I’ll just stop asking his parents. It seems petty. Am I being petty?”

“You’re not being petty. You love him. It’s written all over you. You want him to be as invested in you as you are in him. That includes family. Just stick with it. He loves you too.” Tate leaned over to kiss Beth’s cheek. “I know a few things. Trust me.”

“I do trust you. But you’re pregnant and you’re sort of crazy when you’re knocked up.” Beth grinned at her sister, who stood at least half a foot shorter. She was already showing at the halfway mark.

Polly laughed happily as she took herself in, patting her hair. “I do love that you never try to talk me into anything else. You do my hair perfectly.”

“It suits you. Though if you ever want to go wild and do red and a shorter bob? I’d love that too. What matters most about hair, is that you love it. It makes you happy. And that’s all I care about.”

Beth watched the two and ached a little. What if Joe’s mom and Beth could be like this? Teasingly close? She didn’t know his parents very well. Just sort of in passing. His mother seemed lovely. A little shy, but lovely.

Polly took her hand. “What does your heart say? You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. You’re not one to let yourself get walked all over just for a pretty face. What does your heart tell you about Joe?”

“That he’s worth it.” Her voice cracked, but she cleared her throat and Tate grabbed a tissue.

“So fight for him.”

She took her time with her appearance. What? She was supposed to lie to herself? Of all people? Puhleeze. She wanted him to know just what he had, inside and out. She wasn’t her mother; she didn’t solely rely on her looks to fill all her empty spots. Looks were only on the outside anyway.

But she was a pretty woman. She knew it. She knew her strengths, and there was no harm in working them to ten so Joe Harris’s eyes popped out when he saw her walk through the front doors of the Sands.

Beth had given him her heart. She showed him how much she cared about him in every way she could. But there was absolutely no harm in some glossy red lips and a snug bright blue sweater to go with her blue jeans too. She tousled her hair, which Tate had given big, loose curls to. She looked hot. Ha! And her underwear matched.

She would fight for him, damn it. Polly and Tate had been right. Anything worth having took work. He was worth it. She would use every single thing she had in her arsenal to let him know not only what he had in her, but that she understood what she had in him.

She tucked her overnight bag and some treats for Buck into her trunk and headed out.

Joe had been listening to some story Nathan had been relating. What he noticed first was the way Royal and Jacob’s roommate Trey looked up, openmouthed.

He turned and saw why immediately. Beth had come in looking so fucking gorgeous and sexy their booth wasn’t the only one staring. She was a pretty woman, but her pretty had been turned up straight to luscious. Her hair was big in the way a Southern man could appreciate. Her makeup accentuated her beauty, her eyes looked smoky, her lips red and plump. And that sweater.