Sweet Tea and Secrets (26 page)

“Careful. I could get used to this.”

He spread the plastic dishes across the dining room table. Jill poured sweet tea into aluminum tumblers and grabbed the napkins, forks and knives. She could smell the peppery gravy from across the room.

Garrett took a chair and patted the one next to him. “Let’s dig in. I’m starved.”

They ate while Garrett recapped his trip to Richmond. Jill kept trying to find the right moment to interject the speech she’d practiced all day.

After the meal, Garrett scooched his chair back from the table and held his plate to the side for Clyde to clean up. The dog made quick service of it. “Well, I guess I’d better get home and shower.”

She jumped at the opening. “And then tuck yourself in your bed for the night.”

“You trying to tell me what to do, lady?” He stood and lifted his cowboy hat back to his head.

“I can’t stand you sleeping out in the truck. It keeps me from getting any rest at all.”

He moved behind her chair and pressed his hands on her shoulders. He gripped her muscles and squeezed gently. “So what are we going to do? I can’t sleep if I’m not here and you can’t sleep if I am.”

She raised and dropped her shoulders, then leaned her head back and looked up at him. “I don’t know.”

“You slept pretty well the other night.” He leaned forward and pressed his mouth over hers. The kiss was slow and deep. He pulled back. The legs of the chair screeched against the hardwood floors as he scooted her back from the table.

She grabbed the edge of the seat to keep her balance.

Garrett squatted in front of her. “Jill. This two-step we’re doing is driving me crazy. I know you’ve been through a heck of an emotional week, and the timing probably couldn’t be worse, but...”

She looked toward Clyde—anything to not have to face this subject.

He tipped her chin back to face him, his eyes set on hers.

“What?” she said, barely above a whisper.

“Let me stay here. No pressure. You set the pace. I’ll sleep on the couch.” Garrett pushed his hat back on his head a little. “How can I regain your trust if you never give me the chance?”

“You don’t play fair.” She took his hat and put it on her head. “Alright, cowboy. You can stay.”

He started to respond, but she kissed him quickly on the lips.

He smiled and grabbed his hat. “I’m going to run home and grab a change of clothes before you change your mind. I’ll be back in a shot.”

“Okay.” The practice all afternoon had been a complete waste of time and energy. She’d crumbled like toast. Oh well, nothing to do now but to live with her decision and hope it was the right one. She looked heavenward.

Pearl, this was your doing, wasn’t it?

Jill went to the linen closet. The crisp line-dried sheets smelled faintly of bleach and lavender. She changed the linens on the bed for Garrett and then made up the couch for herself.

She heard Garrett knock and come in the front door as she stood in front of the dresser, trying to decide what to sleep in. The silky pajamas she’d bought the other day would be a little too suggestive for a sleep over. She opted for the bottoms of one set with an oversized t-shirt she found in the bottom of one of the drawers. He couldn’t confuse this outfit for a seduction. Proud of her decision, she headed to the shower. When she came back into the living room, Garrett was sitting in front of the television in Pearl’s favorite chair, petting Clyde.

She stretched out across the couch and caught herself falling asleep during the eleven o’clock news. She snuggled against the pillow, feeling safe.

***

When Jill woke up, her body ached. She sat up, rubbing her lower back and stretching to work out the kinks. She’d slept hard and was thankful for it, but there wasn’t anything soft or comfortable about the couch. That’s probably why it had lasted for at least twenty years that she knew of.

Garrett stepped out of the kitchen with a coffee cup in his hand. “I thought I heard you stirring in here.” He plopped down on the couch and pushed one of the steaming mugs her way.

“Mmm, smells good. I slept hard. I didn’t wake up once, but this couch is the pits.”

“No one said you had to sleep out here.”

“We already discussed that. You’re too long.”

“You could sleep in the bed with me. I don’t bite.”

She rolled her eyes and took another sip, feeling too grumpy to respond.

“What are your plans today?”

“Don’t have any.”

“Good. Get out of those pajamas.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “Excuse me.”

“Go get dressed. I want to take you somewhere.”

She lifted a brow.

“Are you going to argue with me about everything?”

She didn’t like anyone telling her what to do, or planning for her, but then she needed a favor so maybe she could work the situation to her advantage. “Well, that depends.”

“On what?” he asked.

“I need to take Lindy’s car up to Virginia Tech tomorrow. If I go with you today, will you follow me up there tomorrow and bring me back?”

“Sure. No problem.”

Pleased with the deal, she gulped the last of the coffee and handed him the mug. “Cool. Give me five minutes.”

“I’ll feed Clyde, and meet you in the truck.”

She put on a purple tank top tucked into khaki shorts and headed for the truck. By the time she climbed in, Garrett was already behind the wheel with the air on.

Without a word between them, he headed toward town.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He veered his truck along the curb and parallel-parked in front of Spratt’s Market.

“You’re taking me grocery shopping? You’re a fun date.” She went for the door handle, but he stopped her.

“This isn’t the final destination smarty-pants. You wait here. I’ll be right back.”

He left the truck running while he ducked through the blue door. When he came out, he had a tall brown grocery bag in his arms. He opened the back door of the truck and placed it behind his seat.

Jill couldn’t see over the seat into the bag. “What are you up to?”

“When did you become such a worry wart? Relax and enjoy the ride.”

She leaned back in the seat and let out a huff. He was right, she was acting uptight. Fixing a stare on the puffy clouds, she tried to relax as he pulled the truck back on the road.

Garrett turned down Horseshoe Run Road. Her heart flipped. The hairs on her arms prickled.

She glanced in his direction. He must have read the terror in her expression, because he reached across and patted her leg.

“It’s going to be okay.” He slowed the truck near the burial site in the church cemetery, then went around to her door and opened it offering her his hand.

She hesitated, then put her hand in his and climbed down. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” she admitted.

“I’m here. Come on.” He reached past her, scrounged around in the big bag, and lifted out a huge bouquet of daisies.

“They’re beautiful.”

“Her favorite.” He took Jill’s hand and led her into the grass.

They walked slowly toward the spot where Pearl had been buried. One day soon a beautiful marble headstone would mark this spot, but for now a cement urn served as a temporary marker. CLEMMONS printed in straight block letters marked the metal plate affixed to the urn. Years ago, Jill and the rest of the youth group had washed cars all summer to collect enough money to buy these markers for the church. The project had been her personal mission that year. They’d met and beaten the goal of six cement urns with the special smooth inlay for the temporary names. The group had been able to sponsor a family for the Christmas holiday with the remaining funds: a tree, dinner and even bikes for the two boys.

Garrett and Jill knelt at the side of the still freshly turned ground. Garrett picked a bright yellow daisy out of the bouquet, tucked it behind Jill’s ear, then arranged the rest in the cement urn, fussing with them until they scattered just right.

“Thank you,” she said as he took a knee beside her.

They held hands quietly for a long time. There was no rush and nothing more important than being right here, right now. A sense of peace washed over her, like Pearl was near. Jill swept away the tears with her free hand and clung to Garrett’s with the other.

“The day of the funeral, I didn’t notice any other markers around here.” A single narrow monument spiked from the ground just to the left of them. Only initials. No dates. “At least she won’t be alone.”

“She’s not alone. You know that.”

Jill smiled, her lips quivering. “She’s probably giving God advice right now.” She hugged her arms around herself.

Garrett leaned over and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Ready to go?” he asked gently.

“Yes,” she whispered as she stood. He took her hand and led her back to the truck. Jill stared out the window toward the burial site as Garrett eased the pickup off the church property and back onto the main road.

“You’re so thoughtful. Thank you for doing that with me.”
He never misses a beat.

He took a left at the end of Riverkeeper Road.

“Where are we going now?” she asked.

“You didn’t think that’s all I had planned, did ya’?”

“There’s more? What have I gotten myself into?”

He motioned toward the big paper bag in the back. “Take a look.”

She gave him the evil eye. Unable to reach the bag from the safety of her seatbelt, she unbuckled it and climbed on her knees to reach the bag. She reached deep inside, laughing as she lifted out the familiar white Styrofoam container. She spun back around in the seat. “Are you trying to bait me?” She held up the cup. “Bait me, get it?”

“Yeah, I get it. Is it working?” He raised his brow in an exaggerated movement. “They’re
night
crawlers. That give you any ideas?”

“You wish.” She shifted her shoulders playfully. “You’re takin’ me fishing, aren’t you?”

“I thought it would be a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Any complaints?”

“Not a one. You know how much I love fishing. Whoever catches the biggest fish gets out of fish gutting duty. Or are you a catch and release kind of guy these days,” she taunted him.

“We eat what we catch. You’re on, and I’m not releasing anything.”

“My kind of guy.”

He parked the truck alongside the boat ramp on the Meherrin River and unloaded fishing poles and gear from the tool box on the back of his truck. It was always more comfortable in the summer down here by the water. A calm swept over Jill as she stepped down the incline to carry the gear down to the boat at the dock.

They climbed in and trolled down the bank line to the “sweet spot,” where there were a couple of fallen trees tangled in the water providing perfect cover for the big fish. Garrett handed Jill a rod and they both started rigging the hooks and bobbers.

“Got your knife,” Jill asked, holding a hook and line in her hand.

“Got my pants on, don’t I?” Garrett tossed his knife her way. “Need any help?”

She flashed him her best smile, and raised a brow. “Hardly. Hasn’t been that long, country boy.” She fell back into their old banter easily. “Of course, I don’t know if this fishing line is going to be tough enough for the fish I’m going to be reeling in.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“Take it any way you like.” She casted into the smooth river first—a good cast, too.

They spent the whole day on the water. There wasn’t much talking to do, which was the best part of fishing. Garrett pointed out an eagle soaring above the trees where the river bends. The bird was huge. Its bright yellow beak sharply contrasted with its white head, and they marveled at its incredible wing span. They both stared in awe at the grace of the beautiful bird. At that moment, Jill felt as free as that eagle looked.

All in all, the day was perfect, with the exception of gutting duty. Garrett landed a bass that was sure to be a dinner they wouldn’t forget for a while, and even his smallest catch was bigger than the little crappie that kept stealing her bait.