The Road to Glory (6 page)

Leigh felt a smile tugging at her lips at the sight of the tall woman. She was suddenly very glad she’d had time to brush her teeth and wash her hair in the small sink. "Hi." Her gaze drifted from deep green eyes down to RJ’s leg and she winced. "Looks like you didn’t get here soon enough." Her face scrunched up into a smile; she could smell that it was beer but wasn’t above having a little fun.

RJ’s shoulders slumped. She just couldn’t seem to catch a break when it came to this woman. "You see, I spilled a beer and I was just going to try to get it off my pants." She grinned. "It’s not what it looks like, really."

"It never is." Leigh peered down at RJ’s leg again, shaking her head. When she looked back up, she couldn’t help but notice Katherine Fitzgerald was staring at her with a look that could only be described as intense dislike or severe constipation. Leigh was betting on the latter since they were standing in the ladies’ room doorway. "Who in the hell does that woman think she is?" Leigh mumbled, tilting her head toward Katherine. "She’s giving me the creeps."

RJ bit down hard on her cheek to keep from laughing. She leaned over and whispered, "Why that would be my own sainted mother, thank you very much. If you’d like to just get it over with and call me younger sister a whore you will have insulted all the women in me life."

Leigh closed her eyes. "Oh, my God." First RJ’s truck, now her mother. With her luck, she’d have slept with her sister too, and she’d be one of the several women who had taken a scissors to her already limited wardrobe over the years. God, she hated when they did that. "I am so sorry," she said genuinely. "I always seem to be apologizing around you."

"It’s all right. Really it is. There are days when she gives me the creeps too." RJ gestured toward the back door. "Let’s make a quick exit out the back."

Leigh nodded silently. She was more than willing to follow RJ out of the diner and away from the intense gray eyes that belonged to Katherine Fitzgerald.

Once they stepped out back, RJ clasped her hands together rather nervously. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Leigh looked at RJ’s pants again and laughed. "No thanks. I think I’ll help myself." She strode past RJ over to where there was a table covered with a washtub full of iced drinks.

RJ decided to give up beer for the rest of the day. She wanted to keep her wits about her now that Leigh was here. She reached for a pitcher of lemonade and began pouring it into a paper cup. "So what brings you back this way?"

Leigh dug a Pepsi out of the ice. She looked at the glass bottle for a second.
Where the hell did they get these?
"Well, I needed to stop last night and I figured I was close to Fitz’s." She shrugged one shoulder, grunting a little as she tried in vain to twist off the soda top. "Frankly, I can’t believe I found the place. But here I am."

RJ watched her for a moment, then extended her hand for the bottle.

Leigh wordlessly passed it over and watched carefully as RJ lined the cap up against the edge of the table and gave it a hearty smack, taking the cap off in one swift motion.

RJ passed the bottle back, careful to hold it away from both their bodies as a little brownish foam erupted out the top. She took a seat next to Leigh on the bench. From behind her glass of lemonade, she offered quietly, "I’m glad you found your way back."

Leigh regarded her carefully for a moment. "Me too. By the way, I don’t think we’ve ever really been introduced." Leigh wiped the hand that was damp from her frosty Pepsi bottle on her jeans before holding it out. "I’m Leigh Matthews."

The brunette gently took Leigh’s hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "RJ Fitzgerald, at your service, ma’am."
Boy, would I like to service you.

Leigh smiled broadly and spent several long seconds imagining the many ways she’d be happy to let RJ service her. RJ still hadn’t let go of her hand.

Flea snorted and jumped up from the table. There was only so much she could take before gagging out loud.

Leigh set down her Pepsi. "The pleasure is all mine, RJ." She paused for just a second before her curiosity got the best of her. "Is it okay if I ask why your mother was glaring at me? Usually it takes somebody’s parents at least a day to start to hate me."

She shrugged, clearly embarrassed. "It’s a mother thing, you know. And um …" she cleared her throat softly. "I may have mentioned you a time or two. My mother’s just a tad protective."

Leigh leaned forward, suddenly all ears. "Mentioned me?"
And you hardly look like the type who needs protecting.

"Well, yeah. It’s, ah," she cleared her throat gently. "Not often that we get attractive blonde truckers through here." RJ glanced up at Leigh and held her gaze. "I may have mentioned that a time or two."

She thinks I’m attractive?
A slow smile spread across Leigh’s face. Looks like they’d both been thinking about the other. She could see that RJ was blushing and she quickly said, "Don’t worry about it. I’d say your mother’s instincts are dead on. I’m basically trouble," she admitted freely. "Your mom just saved me the chore of having to do something incredibly stupid for her to dislike me. But um … well, if we get to know each other I guess you’ll figure that out for yourself."

RJ’s brows drew together, but she didn’t press for more information.
What does that mean? From where I’m sitting she doesn’t seem like a stupid person.

Blue eyes flickered around the crowd. "So what sort of party am I crashing?"
And why am I still here? I’ve got to get back on the road if I’m going to make it to
Sioux Falls
on time.

"There’s nothing I’d like better than to get to know you, Leigh Matthews. And you’re not really crashing a party. It’s just a town cookout. We use them just as an excuse to cook and eat good food. They usually last all day and well into the evening. Can you stay for a bit? Or do you need to get back on the road?" RJ glanced in the direction of the road.

"Oh, no. I can stay," Leigh said a little too quickly. Mentally, she kicked herself.
Lord,
I’m so pitiful.

"Good." RJ sat up a little straighter, proud of herself for having the courage to ask her to stay. "It may not be the most exciting thin’ you’ve done in a while, but there’s always good food. So where are you headed next? Someone waiting on you at home?"

"No." Leigh shook her head, and her normally bright smile was suddenly edged with sadness. "Nobody’s waiting," she said quietly.

"Then it seems like I’m a very lucky person today." RJ raised a single eyebrow. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" She whirled around and shot a dirty look at every pair of eyes that were fixed on her and Leigh. "So folks will quit staring at us like we’re doing something we shouldn’t be doing," she said this just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Sure." Leigh jumped up from the table. She wasn’t anxious to explain to RJ, at least at this very moment, that she’d sold her and her dad’s small house nearly two years ago, that she only maintained a post office box in Seattle, and that she lived in her truck. Even if it was a
really
nice truck.

As they moved away from most of the crowd, the blonde found herself with the urge to take RJ’s hand as they walked. Instead, she stuffed her hands in her front pockets, keeping her eyes trained on the ground in front of her.

RJ walked slowly, turning around and walking backwards so she would always have Leigh in sight. "I’m sorry about that back there. They tend to be a bit nosey. We’ll have more privacy back here. That way you won’t feel like they’re all talking about us and they can feel free to do so. They’re the biggest bunch of busybodies you’ve ever met, but they mean well." She grinned. "I swear to you they’re harmless enough."

"They’re okay with thinking …" Leigh gestured awkwardly between them. "That there could be something between us. Sort of. Potentially?"
If I have anything to say about it.
She was used to stolen moments of privacy in bathrooms or cars or cheap motels with women who wouldn’t want their affairs known mainly because Leigh was a woman. It was a little disconcerting to think that the people at the picnic were watching them with curious eyes that still held no malice.

Leigh looked up at RJ, who was smiling as she walked. She didn’t seem worried. Of course it didn’t escape Leigh that they were moving in the opposite direction of RJ’s mother. The bright white smile intrigued Leigh, and she found herself wanting to know more about this woman. "So what do you do for a living, RJ?"

"Oh, me?" RJ spread her arms wide open. "I’m a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ type. I do a little of everything. I’m what you might call a handyman." She grinned and wiggled her brows. "I like to work with my hands."

The shameless flirting wasn’t lost on Leigh. In fact, the only thing unusual about the words was that she wasn’t the one saying them.

"I also do a little bit a work for the town of Glory. City Council has made me a guide or Welcome Wagon of sorts."

"Welcome Wagon?"

RJ tilted her head down as she spoke. "Sure. When we get a new resident, I show them around, help them find a place to live, a job, that sort of thing."

"Sounds interesting."
You sound interesting. And you look good enough to eat. Pun intended.

"I suppose." The light spring breeze tossed RJ’s auburn locks, sending a tussle of hair normally combed back over her forehead nearly into her eyes. "It’s not so much, really. Glory is a small town, and we don’t get that many new folks. But I do me best."

Leigh opened her mouth to warn RJ that she was only two paces from walking right into a shed. But RJ spun around, threw open the door and growled loudly, "All right, you little monsters. Take your cigarette-smoking backsides outta here! I know every single one of your mothers and fathers besides." A small group of kids ranging from ten to twelve years old stared at RJ with round, guilty eyes. Too stunned to even move.

RJ put her hands on her hip and glared at down at the little delinquents. "Move!"

Leigh laughed as a gaggle of boys and one tomboyish- girl scattered like roaches caught by the kitchen light, both she and RJ knowing instantly that the lone girl was leading the pack of troublemaking boys. "I can see that you’re going to be a bad influence. You’re taking me someplace where naughty things happen, aren’t you, RJ?" she teased mischievously.

"Well, if you’re twelve and you’ve just snitched a smoke from your father, and you’ve come out here to have it, I guess so." RJ licked her lips and leered at Leigh. "But if you’re an adult and you’re both of the same mind, could anything you decided to do really be considered naughty?"

"Absolutely not," Leigh said softly. She was definitely liking the direction of this conversation and took a step closer to RJ. "And I never said there was anything wrong with naughty." She quirked a playful brow. "Naughty and I are intimately acquainted."

RJ laughed.
I’ll just bet you are, lass.
"Well then, let’s get comfortable, shall we?" RJ reached through the window of the shed just above the bench and pulled out a blanket. "Sometimes at night I come out here and look at the stars. I’ve found it’s better if you don’t get dirt in your shorts."

Leigh coughed a little on the stale smoke that still filled the shed.

RJ’s face creased into a frown. "Not to worry, we’re not staying in the delinquent hideout. C’mon." She grabbed Leigh’s hand. "Would be nice to cloud watch, wouldn’t it?" Without waiting for Leigh to answer, RJ snatched up the blanket and exited the shed, tugging Leigh behind her. She carefully spread out the blanket on a patch of grass beneath a large tree that stood alongside the small structure. The tree was on a slight hill and the grass on top was almost completely dry, despite the storms of the day before. While they could still just barely hear the music from the party in the background, they were tucked well out of sight.

RJ let go of Leigh’s hand and flopped down on the blanket, lacing her fingers behind her head and crossing her long legs at the ankle. She gazed up into the bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. After several seconds had passed and Leigh still hadn’t joined her, RJ said, "Sit down, lass. Don’t be pretending to be shy." The tall woman smothered a grin. "I have a feeling you’re just about as shy as I am."

Leigh snorted to herself and joined RJ on the blanket, suddenly feeling like she’d just met her match. "Won’t we get wet?" She could see the puddles all around them.

"Nah. We’re on a high spot. Lay back and close your eyes."

Leigh looked at RJ hesitantly.

"C’mon. I haven’t bitten anyone all morning. You’re perfectly safe here."
For the time being.

"Said the spider to the fly," Leigh mumbled.

"I heard that."

"Heard what?" Leigh’s eyes went round and innocent.

RJ laughed, despite her attempt to keep a stern face. "Aren’t you afraid of getting struck between the eyes with a bolt of lightning for telling such lies?"

Leigh scooted closer to RJ and lay down. "Oh, I’m sure I’ll get a bolt in the kisser one of these days. But it won’t be for telling lies."

"You’re right." RJ rolled over and pinned Leigh to the ground by the arms. "It will probably be for the delinquents catching us doing –," she bent down and lightly kissed Leigh’s neck, hearing a tiny gasp, "– this. And –" Another kiss. "This."

"Can’t live forever," Leigh muttered happily.

"Tell me something interesting about yourself, Leigh Matthews."

Leigh’s eyes fluttered closed, and she threaded her fingers into silky reddish-brown hair, tugging RJ’s body closer. "Now?" she breathed. RJ’s kisses felt as good as she’d imagined they would. Soon she’d be nothing more than a puddle.

"Now."

"I’m …" Leigh licked her lips and groaned. "Ooooo, that’s nice. I’m not sure I know anything interesting." She tilted her jaw upward to give RJ better access to her tender throat.

"I’ll be the judge of that."

*  *  *

"Why are you here?" the male squirrel groaned. He’d vowed never to be seen with her again.

"You don’t remember?" The female squirrel put her hands on her hips and glared at the smaller squirrel.