Part 19 (2/2)
”Your exuberance is scaring the natives,” Jaclyn said with a smile. ”You did tell the truth, you're a very fast learner.”
”I ran a register in high school at an ice cream shop.” Morgan frowned. ”I'll have to practice with the crickets.” She reached into her s.h.i.+rt and pulled out one of the insects. ”They get a little friendly, don't they?”
”I'd hide in your bra too if someone was planning on putting me on a hook.” Jaclyn grinned and winked when Morgan shot her a glance.
”You're naughty, I love it.”
Jaclyn wanted the opportunity to prove her right, but finding time alone to do that was going to be tricky. She took the cricket from Morgan's fingers and put it back into the cage. ”I didn't have time to put anything in the Crock-Pot, do you want to join us for some leftover chicken? There's a ton of it in the fridge.”
”I'd love to. What are the chances that we could snuggle on the couch and watch a movie afterward?”
”That would be wonderful, and I wouldn't mind it a bit if you fell asleep on me again. We weren't on that couch thirty seconds and you were dozing.”
”The excitement got to me.”
Skip walked in, went straight to the coffee station, and made himself a cup. ”I'm so glad ol' Chet is okay, and I'm so mad. I told him not to fool with dat old still. We can make it right on his stove. It don't make as much as the still, but it's safer.”
”It's not safe either way. Fumes build up in the house, it's not safe to breathe.” Jaclyn cut up a potato and took it to the cricket cages where she dropped it in. ”Y'all would just rather be doing stuff in the woods that you really shouldn't, just admit it.”
Skip waved a finger at Jaclyn, then Morgan. ”Y'all ain't no better. The whole town knows y'all did it in the goldenrod field and didn't watch for ants. You both got beds, ya know.”
”We were...” Morgan stopped before telling the truth. No one would believe they were playing hide-and-seek. h.e.l.l, she wouldn't have, either. ”Nature calls, you know?” she said with a shrug.
Skip looked at Morgan's arms. ”How're your bites?”
”Not as bad as they were, and thanks to Clarice, they don't itch.”
”Clarice mixed up a paste,” Jaclyn explained as she rejoined Morgan behind the counter, ”and she made us some of her special tea.”
Skip took off his cap and scratched his head. ”You drank her tea?”
”She insisted, and we felt obligated.” Jaclyn cast a sideways glance at Morgan. ”Skip, she jacked us up big-time.”
”Oh,” he said with a smile, ”she made you her sweet weed brew. She made Rene some that time she broke her toe. Dat woman sang, she danced on dat toe, then she ate everything in the kitchen and blamed it on me the next day. Dat's big love from Clarice, y'all better feel special. She'll probably make Chet a brew too.”
Jaclyn's nostrils flared, her pupils were dilated, she barely breathed as her hand moved slowly, steadily. Morgan was captivated by the intense concentration. Her own breathing slowed. She held it as Jaclyn's hand hovered for a second.
”Don't mess up,” Austin taunted as she skillfully set the block of wood on top of the tower.
Jaclyn sighed when everything stayed intact. ”Your move, Morgan.”
Austin's expression was full of mischief. ”I can't believe you never played Jenga. It would really suck to lose on your first game.”
Morgan shot him a look as she contemplated which piece to pull next. Austin inhaled sharply when she reached for one of the wooden blocks.
Jaclyn's voice was smooth and low. ”Don't let him psych you out. He's terrible at this game and knows he's probably going to be the one to topple the tower.”
”I'm playing with a handicap, my hands are huge. I've heard it said that big hands mean big p.e.n.i.s, and in my case, it's true.”
”Austin!”
Morgan jerked her hand away from the tower as she laughed. ”That's cheating.”
He tapped his temple. ”It's a game of concentration and skill. You have to focus.”
”I can't wait until it's your turn.” Jaclyn looked at him. ”We'll see how well you focus.”
Morgan held her breath as she carefully slid the piece she'd chosen out of its place, then moved it to the top.
Jaclyn smiled. ”Now when he knocks down the tower, you'll be the winner because you made the last successful move.” She and Morgan waited quietly for Austin to decide on his piece. As he reached for it, Jaclyn sang out, ”I don't know, but I've been told, Skip's old chicken has a green b.u.t.thole.”
Austin froze in mid-reach. The muscles in his face twitched as he tried not to laugh. He exhaled slowly and carefully put his fingers on his choice. And Morgan then began to sing, ”I don't know, but I've been told, Austin has a little tiny pole.”
Blocks rained down onto the table and floor, and Austin slumped in defeat. Morgan and Jaclyn b.u.mped their fists and yelled, ”Jenga!”
”Yeah, yeah. I know, loser picks up the blocks,” Austin said drolly amidst their celebration. ”Then I'm going to bed because I don't like y'all right now.”
Morgan helped him with the task as Jaclyn straightened up the rest of the kitchen. ”Get plenty of rest because we're going to connect the chicken wire to Thor tomorrow for the decorations.”
Austin put the last of the pieces in the box and closed the lid. ”Me and my giant pole will be ready.”
He b.u.mped Morgan with the game box and kissed Jaclyn on the cheek before going upstairs. When they heard the door to his room close, Jaclyn said, ”It must be hard going through life wors.h.i.+pping a body part even most straight women aren't that enthralled with.”
Morgan stared at Jaclyn's a.s.s that looked especially nice in the tight jeans she was wearing. ”I'm enthralled right now with one of yours.”
Jaclyn looked over her shoulder. ”Some of yours are still in my mind's eye. I have fond memories of smearing paste all over you.”
”You could roll in some ants, and I'll be happy to return the favor.”
Jaclyn shook her head as she dried a skillet. ”You can rub me down anytime. We don't need ants for that.”
One of Morgan's brows arched. ”How long does it take for Austin to fall asleep?”
The skillet clanged in the sink as Jaclyn dropped it. She turned around and opened her mouth when her phone rang. ”I'm not going to answer that.”
”Good,” Morgan said with a nod as she stood. ”I'm still recovering from my ant trauma, but I have a long list of things I'd like to do to you.”
”Oh, it doesn't work that way with me, and I don't care about your spots. I just wanna-”
”Mom,” Austin called out. ”Aunt Maddie's looking for you. She said Dawn and Caleb are puking all over the place. The doctor called in some medicine to the pharmacy, and she needs you to pick it up because Uncle Heath is in Jeanerette.”
Jaclyn closed her eyes as her head lolled back. ”I don't think we're going to have to worry about taking things slow. Everyone else in this town will handle that for us.”
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