Part 24 (1/2)
”I give up,” she said with an exaggerated sigh of relief.
”Mom hates to lose,” Jimmy confided in his grandfather with a gleeful grin, which Mason acknowledged with a thoughtful nod.
”Your grandmother's the same way. Owes me pert' near a hundred thousanddollars in this gin tournament we've had going on since we got married. I keep trying to collect, and she keeps talking me into double-or-nothing.”
Jimmy made his shot, then glanced up. ”What's double-or-nothing?”
Mason bent to rake a twig from in front of his ball. ”You don't know double-or-nothing, boy?”
”Uh-uh.”
”Well now, son, that's a real interesting strategy you and me might want to explore, seeing as how I owe you six bits already.”
Riaand Kale exchanged grins. ”Dad's in his element,” he said, s.h.i.+pping hishands into his pockets.
”My money's on my son.”Ria leaned her mallet against the tree and walkedtoward the house. Kale fell in step beside her.
”Heard something today I thought might interest you,” he said when theyreached the patio.
”What's that?” she asked, reaching for the pitcher of lemonade Sarah had set out on the picnic table before driving into town to have her hair done.
”Grady's put in his resignation,” Kale said, hiding a smile when she sloshedlemonade onto the table. ”Word'll hear is he's going to accept that jobinOregon.”
Chapter 15 ^ ”Leave me alone, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d,” Grady grumbled as he felt the cold splash of a washcloth against his face.
”I can't imagine what possessed that doctor to release you so soon. No doubtyou badgered him into it the way you badgered me into loving you again.”
It took him a minute, but he managed to pry open his eyes. It wasRia allright. She'd pulled up a chair and was busy wringing out a washcloth into abasin of water.
He thought she hooked like an angel, with the sunlight coming in through thewindow trapped in the dark hair fluffed around her face. Because it hurt too much to look at her and know she would never be his, he closed his eyes again.
”What the h.e.l.l are you doing here?” he muttered.
”Cleaning you up.”
”The h.e.l.l you are.”
”I promised Jimmy he could see you today, and I'm not going to break that promise, just because you look like a b.u.m.” ”Forget it, honey, 'cause as soon as my head stops spinning, I'm booting your b.u.t.t out of here and jamming a d.a.m.n chair under the k.n.o.b.”
”Try it, and I'll break your other hand instead.”
It was a dream, he decided-until the cold cloth slapped him in the faceagain. For good measure she'd added soap. He sat up spitting and cursing. Onlywhen the pain crashed again did he remember why sudden moves of any kind werea bad idea.
”Go away, Ree. When I'm on my feet, we'll work out custody.”
Riaheard the defeat in his voice and wanted to lay her head against that big,horribly bruised chest and weep. ”You need a shower and a nouris.h.i.+ng meal first, and then I'll help you shave.”
His sigh was weary. ”If that's what it takes to get you out of here.”
”Hold on to me, Grady. We'll do this together.”
”I'll do it alone. I'm used to it.”
She considered it a measure of his stubbornness that he got himself strippedand into the bathroom without pa.s.sing out. Even so, he was as pale as death,and his hand shook a little as she wrapped it in a plastic bag, secured with a rubber band she'd found wrapped around one of the newspapers piled up outsidehis door.
”Hold on, I'll turn on the water,” she said, opening the frosted door to thetiled stall.
”I'll do it,” he muttered, lurching past her.
”Grady-”
”Go torment someone else,” he muttered, closing the door in her face. Thewater came on hard, and she heard him gasp.
”Serves you right, you stubborn jacka.s.s,” she muttered, glaring at himthrough the clouded gla.s.s. He was so terribly proud-and so badly bruised,inside was well as out.
The man needed tending almost as much as he needed to be loved.
Like it or no, he was going to have to let her do both those things.
The shower door opened, and she stepped into the spray, crowding him against the corner. ”Hey,” he managed to get out before his heart wedged in histhroat. She was naked, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s already pearling with drops of steam.
”Hand me the soap,” she ordered, her cheeks pink.
”Ree-”
”The soap, Grady.” He used his good hand to fumble it into hers. ”I'm takingyou back to the lake with me, and then-”
”No. I appreciate the effort, but no.”
She worked up a good lather, then reached past him to return the soap to thedish. ”You lied to me.”
”The h.e.l.l I did.” He grabbed the hand she'd been aiming at his chest. Sudsran down his arm to drip onto the tile.
”You said you wanted to be chief.”
He made a decent enough stab at meeting her snapping gaze. ”I do.”
”Here, not in Oregon.”
He bit off a half-formed curse. Even so, it had her mouth firming. ”I amprepared to forgive you, however,” she said with a stern look.