Untrusting Hearts: A Contemporary New Orleans Romance (9 page)

He soon veered right and slowed the car. “Look over there.” He pointed to a small building overhung by a cypress tree, its stately branches weeping Spanish moss. The roof of the structure was rusted metal, and all the glass was missing from the windows. It didn’t appear as if there had ever been paint on the weathered siding. Vines and vegetation had crawled over the railing and nearly obscured the porch in places. “Old sharecropper’s cabin. Want to take some pictures?”

“I’d love to!” She nearly jumped from the car before it stopped moving. He followed her around as she took her shots.

“Watch for snakes. And gators. We’re not far from the bayou.”

Jade stopped and looked closely at his face. As she determined he was telling the truth, she scanned the area around her and the branches overhead before saying, “There’s something moving and forlorn about abandoned places, don’t you think? But there’s also beauty in them.” She scrutinized him, waiting for a response.

“There can be. I guess I never thought about it.”

With the sun shining full on his face, Jade could already see the beginnings of a five o’clock shadow. In spite of working an office job, his skin had the golden bronze tone of someone used to being outdoors. His face was noble, she decided, handsome and full of strength. His mouth, with its full lips and occasional wry twist, had an inviting sensuousness when his mood was relaxed. She could easily grow accustomed to that face.

She became aware he was returning her gaze. He shouldn’t have been given those dark lashes. They lent such depth to his brown eyes that she felt mesmerized.

“Jade, I know I haven’t been easy on you,” he said quietly. “It’s probably confusing. And I wouldn’t be surprised if you hate me.”

“You
have
gone out of your way to be offensive,” she agreed on her way back to the car. “But I don’t hate you. I don’t believe I hate anyone.”

“No, you don’t seem like you would. And you don’t seem the type to take things personally.”

“It depends.”

“On what?”

“A lot of things. Intent matters; it matters a lot. It’s not just what is said, but also why and how it’s said.” She hesitated for a second then decided to proceed, since he’d let down his walls a little. She may as well try to get some answers. “Take Maylene; I don’t understand why you are so defensive when it comes to her. She seems to be a capable businesswoman, mature, with a mind of her own. You said Jean Pierre’s death hit her hard, but she seems okay now. She comes across as very well-balanced.”

“She is. It was more than just her grief that had me concerned. When she started coming out of seclusion, it was primarily to seek counsel and comfort from so-called psychics and mediums. She desperately wanted to reunite, at least spiritually, with Jean-Pierre. It seemed like every swindler in town saw her coming. I strongly discouraged her from these activities, and she became angry with me, actually avoided me for awhile. I suspect she wasted a bundle on these phonies before she got her impulses under control.”

“I see.” She grew thoughtful. “I had no idea.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s not the sort of thing she’d want anyone to know. She went through a period of time where her judgment was less than stellar. Luckily, she came to her senses. She’s strong-willed, used to having her way, and that gives her the appearance of being healthy. But I feel she is still delicate. I don’t want to take a chance on her being hurt.”

“Hurt? By whom?”

He shrugged.

A flush rose in Jade’s cheeks. “You mean me, don’t you? Do you honestly think I’d harm my own aunt?”

“I have no idea what your intentions are, what motivates you. However, I can see that connecting with you has helped Maylene more than anything else. Family is very important to her.”

“But what about Ty?”

“Well the thing about Ty is they’re not related by blood; he’s Jean Pierre’s nephew. Add to that the fact that he has let her down so often. Although, I must admit he visits her regularly. It’s just that he doesn’t take the business seriously and at times his affection for Maylene seems contrived, artificial.”

“Well, there’s no way for me to judge any of that. I haven’t been around long enough.”

“I’m glad to hear you admit that. But you should understand that Ty can be a problem at times.”

“In what way?”

Gage’s mouth tightened. “It’s hard to know what’s really going on in his head, what motivates him. He’s almost like a bystander in his own life, yet there seems to be something brewing under the surface, something I can’t put my finger on.”

“That may be. I really can’t say.”

“And then there’s you, Jade. Showing up like you have, out of the blue, to add a new dimension to our lives. I couldn’t help but notice Maylene was absolutely taken with your emails and letters. She shared many of them with me, you know.”

Jade groaned inwardly, recalling some of the anecdotes she’d included in her correspondence. She’d been trying to entertain a lonely woman. “Those were supposed to be private communications between Maylene and me.” She leaned against the car, crossed her arms, and challenged him with her eyes.

“They seemed harmless enough to me. At least, the parts Maylene let me see. Did I miss something underhanded?”

Underhanded?
There it was again, that hint of distrust, that accusatory tone. “Of course not. I tried to keep them newsy and lighthearted.”

“You seemed to have done a good job.” He stood in front of her and stared down into her face. “I have to say, I almost admire the way you set things up. You presented yourself flawlessly; you made yourself out as the ideal long-lost niece.”

“You make me sound scheming and dishonest.”

“Hardly. I’m trying to compliment you. Whatever your agenda really is, having you here has benefited Maylene. She’s happier than I’ve seen her for some time.”

“Just…stop.” She put up a hand, palm out. “If that’s your idea of a compliment, I’d hate to hear one of your criticisms.”

“What?” he asked innocently.

She closed her eyes briefly, seeking calm. “You praise me for being good for Maylene and in the same breath you accuse me of having an agenda. Gage, I have to assume you’re not that obtuse.”

“Careful now. I don’t know how much of your flattery I can take.” His voice was sardonic, his expression amused.

“You’d never have earned your degree or secured such a lofty position in Maylene’s business if you weren’t at least moderately bright. I don’t personally know any CFO’s, but I’m confident it’s a job that requires a person of intelligence.”

“Okay. Um...” He glanced at his watch, as if she might make them late for a pressing engagement.

“The way you wield your words matters, Gage. The pauses, tone of voice, context. Nuance. Intimation.”

“You have a point to all this?”

“The point is, you are smart enough to choose the right words. You know how to express yourself. So, I have to conclude that when you offend me, it is a deliberate act.”

“Let me see if I understand. You’re saying I’m ill-mannered and don’t have ignorance to fall back on for an excuse.” One corner of his mouth curved upward. “I get it.”

“That’s good. Because otherwise you might have to explain to Maylene where I’ve gone.”

“And where will that be?”

“Why, walking back to New Orleans, of course. I don’t need to put up with your insolence.”

“Oh? So, you’ll just take off? Just like that?”

“That’s right!”

“And what should I tell Maylene?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. Tell her we’re oil and water, you and I. We just don’t mix.”

“Don’t mix?” His face was neutral and she couldn’t tell if her words had any impact.

“Apparently not. But I’ll tell you what; I’ll give you a choice. We can be friends if you like. But, if you’d rather be an adversary, I can accommodate you on that just as easily.”

She thought he’d reluctantly agree to make peace. Either that, or launch into a heated diatribe. Instead, he gave her a slow grin. “I wouldn’t describe us as oil and water, Jade. More like fuel and flame.”

She flushed at his reference to their passion and called an old song to mind. “‘You are a magnet and I am steel’, eh?”

“Something like that.” He took her elbow. “You’re a feisty one and I admire your spirit, but it’s a long walk to New Orleans and right now you’re in alligator country. I think you’d better stick with me.” He opened the car door for her and she got in, casting a leery look at the brush nearby, searching for reptilian eyes.

When he slid into the driver’s seat, he flashed a conciliatory grin. She returned his smile with a sweet one of her own. “I meant what I said about your crude remarks.”

“I’m sure you did.” He started the car and made a cautious u-turn through the tall grass.

“So?” She wasn’t ready to let him off the hook.

“So what? Are you telling me I shouldn’t speak my mind?”

“Don’t play games. You know all I’m asking is for you to be civil.”

He stopped the car and looked at her. “This civility you speak of, does it go for you as well?”

“I’ve been practicing it all along.”

“That’s debatable, but I won’t argue the point right now.” They stared at each other and she steeled herself for another round of verbal jousting. Then his expression mellowed and he offered his hand. When she placed her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the backs of her fingers. “Maybe we
could
try harder to get along.”

She’d sucked in a breath when his mouth touched her skin. Now she let it out slowly. “Maybe we could.”

“Alright then,” he said. “I propose a ceasefire.”

“I accept.” Her fingers still tingled after he released them. The air seemed filled with wordless longing, thick with unspoken sentiments. She thought he might bring up what happened between them last night. But she was wrong; instead he pulled onto the highway.

She relaxed back into her seat, relieved and oddly disappointed. “Where are we going now?”

“The boathouse. I want to show you the sugarcane fields.”

“You have to use a boat to get there? Are you sure you’re not going to feed me to the alligators?”

He laughed, his voice deep and rich. “No alligator will lay a tooth on you, I promise. We could drive over there, but I thought you’d find it more interesting to go by bayou through the cypress grove.”

He was right about that. As they skimmed over the water, she couldn’t stop looking around. At one point, Gage slowed the boat until they were barely moving. “See there? There’s a gator.”

“Where?” Jade scooted toward the side of the boat to see better and the craft rocked.

“Easy! You don’t want to be a meal,” Gage said as she slid back toward the center.

“I still don’t see it.”

Taking her by the arms, Gage peered over one shoulder and pointed. She followed his finger and gasped. Staring back at her was an alligator. “How long is he?”

“Looks to be about four foot. They’ll get up to fourteen feet and can weigh up to a thousand pounds.”

“Lord,” Jade whispered softly.

“Keep a watch. You might spot more. But see here...” Gage indicated a tall weed. “This is long-stemmed rice. It grows wild in the bayou but is also one of Louisiana’s main crops.” He ran his hand along one of the stems and showed Jade the rice.

She took pictures of the plant, the eerie cypress trees with their strange roots and dangling Spanish moss, and the alligator. Whenever she could do so surreptitiously, she got Gage in the shots as well. Though she kept her eyes peeled, she didn’t notice any more wildlife before they arrived at their destination.

Her memory card was almost full but she managed to get a few more pictures of the sugarcane field. They drifted a while and then Gage turned to go back the way they’d come. As he steered the boat lazily through the shady waters, she could imagine they were alone in the world. When their eyes met, something sparked, a sizzling connection she felt clear to her core.

“Maylene’s right,” he said, his voice low. “There is something about you that reminds me of those old photographs of her when she was young. Those big, liquid eyes, so full of mystery. The blush in the cheeks. The quiet poise. I’ll bet you got your way when you were a child, too, just like Maylene. To hear her tell it, she only needed to bat her eyes at her daddy, and then, of course later, Jean Pierre, to seal the deal.”

“Not with my grandma. Batting eyes wouldn’t have held much sway.”

“What about your grandpa?”

She grinned. “Oh, yeah. He was a soft touch.”

They reached the boathouse and when he helped her out, that same electricity from before raced through her. His hand found her waist as they returned to the car. She had to fight the urge to cuddle close.

“Were your grandparents happy together?” he asked as he drove back to the highway.

“I think so. They seemed well-matched. Why?”

He shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. “Just trying to get a handle on how you became who you are.”

“How about your folks?” She shifted the focus. Gazing at his handsome profile, she saw his jaw tighten almost imperceptibly.