Faith, Love, and Fried Chicken: Seasons Boxed Set Bundle 1-4 Read online

  Jaycee scolding her younger brother should have warned him off to the sort of mood she was in. He followed her slowly, leaning on his cane, as she led him silently back outside and around the house and to the porch, opening the screen door for him to enter.

  “I told ya’ I’d be busy tonight, Dash.” Jaycee sat in a cushioned wicker chair. “Thanksgiving is almost here and Momma and I are in a rush for sure to get things set right.”

  He pulled a chair closer to her side and pushed his long legs straight out in front of him as he sat. “I can’t seem to escape my worryin’. I’m sorry to show up without callin’.”

  “What’re you rollin’ yer mind over?” She turned in her chair to face him, hitching a bare foot up to rest on the cushion. Absently she twirled a strand of her short blonde hair over her index finger.

  “You and me. Your job.” He met her gaze and gulped, wanting to take her in his arms and kiss her sweet mouth, to make reason and thinking and working out the pieces of life flee. “I should clarify, your boss.”

  “Land sakes, what does my boss have to do with you and me?” She dropped her hand and huffed out a breath of air so loud it scattered the piece of hair she had been twisting.

  “I’m afraid for ya’ with that randy man sniffin’ around you day after day. Can’t get no peace over it. And….and.” He paused. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to go further tonight with this.

  “And?” Jaycee stiffened in her chair, her eyes growing wide.

  “And you and that John texting all the time. I may be a gimp, but I’m not blind or stupid, Jaycee.”

  “Are you accusin’ me of somethin’, Dash Matheson?” She was on her feet now with her face red and two fists on her hips. Her mouth worked to say more and he could tell she was trying to remember the Southern manners her momma had taught her.

  “Don’t you be gettin’ all holier than thou, Julia Cozetta. I’ve known you since we were nappin’ in Ms. Carter’s kindergarten class. You’ve been hidin’ some things and it’s time we get them out in the open.”

  “I cannot do this now. I just cannot!” Jaycee fled to the front of the house then, leaving the screen door to slam in multiple successions in her wake.

  He hadn’t moved. He was planted there. He put his hand to his thigh and rubbed it absently before he went to stand, grasping the hard cane in his right hand. He wanted to wing it through the screen and out across the fields that stretched behind the house and barn. But he needed it, to get by…just like he needed Jaycee. And he didn’t know if he could discard her so easily either. But she had to make up her mind. No more dallying with a fantasy of a man. He was flesh and blood. He saw her quiet smile sometimes when she glanced at her phone, thinking he didn’t see. It was time to throw caution to the wind and see where things landed on the other side of reason.

  The audacity of the man was too much. Jaycee thought of John only as a friend. The cryptic words flashed through her mind then. Innuendo-laced messages had passed back and forth. She pulled at the loose thread on her comforter, yanking harder than she had intended, a hole opening up at the seam.

  Men! Always with their feathers rufflin’ about somethin’ and struttin’ around puffed up because of the littlest flirtation. Was this what John was, a flirtation? Or a possibility kept waiting in the wings? He made her feel exciting and admired. But didn’t Dash do that? No, he was steadfast and so not full of….empty compliments. It was as if Jaycee could see each and every message for what it was. That’s all that John gave her, a head full of herself. They had only met once and it was a nanosecond compared to the course of memories with Dash…since grade school.

  Jaycee suddenly felt ashamed of herself. A pit in her stomach opened up a mile wide and crept up to her chest, causing an ache in her heart. Her phone vibrated for the second time in ten minutes and without looking, she threw it against her bedroom door where it fell and shattered into pieces on the floor.

  It was a long day, made even longer still with no form of communication with the outside world. It was a bad habit, Jaycee was aware of that; having her phone on the desk in front of her while working. It was for the best, for now, no phone. She needed to clear her mind and this was the best way. No distractions. Just work-related calls and duties.

  She’d been praying all morning about her father’s appointment at the doctor’s and about Dash. She wondered if he had tried to call or text her. Well, he knew the number at the office sure enough.

  She reminded Eleanor she was leaving early and at half-past three, Jaycee patted the grocery list in her purse tucked next to her mother’s debit card as she made her way to the parking lot.

  The afternoon was cloudy and overcast with the wind increasing since the morning. Mr. Carlisle had just pulled into his spot when she appeared from the building. Jaycee made her way quickly across to where she was parked. She wasn’t quick enough, for he bounded from his car and over to where she stood attempting to unlock the door of her Chrysler Lebaron.

  “Where you off to?” he asked from behind her as she fumbled with the key. She slowly inclined her head towards him. He positioned his body against the side of her car and faced her boldly.

  “I told you I had to leave early today, helpin’ momma shop for Thursday.”

  “Ahh, so you can feed me well, yes?” He reached out and touched her arm, running his hand down the length of it and ending at her hand.

  Jaycee pulled her hand away and stuck it into her purse underneath her other arm, where she left it. “Th-that’s right, sir.”

  “How about we go for an early dinner? You know what they say about shopping on an empty stomach.” He stepped nearer, closing the short distance between them. He smiled, looking down at her lips and licking his own.

  She backed away, which left her further from escape into her car. “I’m not hungry.” Her stomach twisted in knots as he again stepped closer. Woods bordered the parking lot and she felt the ground give underneath her foot as she crossed from the pavement and into the dirt. “It would seem you are though.”

  He smirked. “So you can tell my desire for you, my southern flower.”

  “I’m not your anything.” Heat flooded Jaycee’s face. She couldn’t run. She wouldn’t. She stood her ground then, not moving towards the seeming safety of the woods or back to the parking lot. “Don’t come any closer.” She grasped the cold metal between her fingers and pulled it from her purse. She turned the can around and aimed it at him.

  “Is this a joke?” He laughed, but it held a higher pitch than normal.

  “No joke. Is this a joke, all this?” She raised her other hand indicating where she was in relation to her car. “I am done. I will not take it anymore.”

  “Take what? We were just having a conversation.”

  “Dinner? Southern flower?” She shook the can at him, frustrated with his conceit.

  He didn’t back away. He looked like he was pondering his next move. He glanced down at his feet and back up again, shuffling slightly forward. Jaycee exploded with her next words, nearly shouting them, straightening the arm holding the can. “You aren’t temptin’ me, are you?”

  “Am I tempting you?” He smiled smoothly.

  “To put you down like a bug, that’s about it.” Jaycee saw movement behind Mr. Carlisle and heard her name. He heard as well, because he turned at the sound, backing up a step.

  “That’s right, you should back off.” Dash stood there, his face a cloud of fury. He drew closer and grabbed the side of Mr. Carlisle’s shirt, tossing him towards the parking lot and advancing after him.

  “Dash!” Jaycee called, dropping the can of Raid on the ground and chasing after the two of them.

  “Enough, Jaycee. I’m not stupid and either is he. The leering, suggestions, and now this, practically accosting you and chasing you into the woods.”

  She stopped in her tracks. He stood there between her and Mr. Carlisle. His breath was coming in short gasps as he struggled to gain control of his temper.

  “I know.
” She shook her head, fighting the tears as they came into her eyes and fell to her cheeks. She could see his indecision. They had to talk, she knew it. He knew it. The pain on his face was very real.

  And then there was Mr. Carlisle, backed up against his car, glancing towards the office building, gauging the distance to his escape. Jaycee walked towards the man, not getting any closer than Dash himself, standing by his side.

  “I quit. I won’t work for you anymore. You will be reported. Whether it does any good, well…that’s up to the Better Business Bureau or whoever. You’re not my problem anymore.”

  Mr. Carlisle’s eyes narrowed at Jaycee. “But-but Eleanor’s leaving. You can’t –”

  “I can.” She faced Dash, feeling drained. With tears in her eyes, she tried to smile. “Thanks.” With Dash’s attention on her, Mr. Carlisle ran for the office building and was gone in less than a minute.

  Jaycee turned towards her car, unlocked the door and slid into the seat. She couldn’t apologize, she was numb. She slammed the car door between her and Dash. Her whole body was shaking. Anger, relief, frustration washed over Jaycee all at once. She stared into her lap, the keys grasped tightly between her fingers. When she finally looked up, he was gone. She knew he was still mad at her for John and her dishonesty….with him and herself. As she eased the car out onto the main road towards Super Shopper, a gentle rain began to fall along with Jaycee’s freely flowing tears.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Dash drove his truck back from Lincoln to Twain, the silence in the cab mocking him. Every few seconds he heard a ping though from the rebuilt 1950 engine. He shook his head and leaned forward, concentrating on the noise and breaking down the components in his mind, analyzing the sound and possible source.

  He pulled into the shop’s back parking lot and into the open bay door. Chuck was still working on replacing the struts in Kay McGrath’s old Volvo. He waved to Dash from beside the car.

  Dash nodded to him as he exited the still running vehicle, “Gotta look at her engine.”

  “You want me to do it?”

  “Naw, I can. Any calls?”

  “A few scheduled,” Chuck said, casting a glance over to the cordless phone and appointment book.

  “Thanks. Sorry to leave you short.”

  Chuck grunted, already back under with the Volvo. Dash took a rag from the workbench, shining a piece of chrome absently before pulling open the truck’s hood. He stepped closer, listening intently to the whir of the engine. A quiet sigh escaped him. He put his head directly under the hood, concentrating. He didn’t hear it.

  He walked back around to sit behind the wheel. Holding his breath, he focused again. He didn’t hear the sound. Slamming his hand on the steering wheel in frustration, he flipped the engine off and let out a flow of silent complaints up to heaven. His parent’s car accident, the fire, everything but memories gone in a moment, and now a rift with Jaycee. He couldn’t even seem to diagnose his own truck without a call for help.

  Dash could feel Chuck’s eyes on him and he poked his head out the open door. “Can’t hear it. I’ll leave it here and see if it does it again on the way home.”

  “Low test knocking?”

  Dash shook his head as he slammed the driver’s door and grabbed the phone and appointment book. He headed up the stairs and into the shop office, moving with a more pronounced limp from a weariness of the soul only prayer and seeking God could alleviate. Almost Thanksgiving and all I can think about is what I don’t have. Plopping into the office chair behind the counter, he pulled open the bottom drawer and reached for his bible.

  Jaycee’s Momma, Daddy, and brother all gathered at the kitchen table. Several bags filled with groceries stood on the counter, the cold and frozen items shoved quickly away on Jaycee’s return. This was the moment that had plagued her all day, that and thoughts of Dash and their fight.

  Her mother looked at her daddy calmly and he nodded her into speech. “It would seem your daddy has the early stages of Parkinson ’s disease. All the studies were to rule out other things. The neurological exams point to it.” She looked into the shocked eyes of Jaycee and Marcus. “It’s going to be okay. He’s going to be okay. They have medications now that will most likely help his symptoms at bay for years to come.”

  “What can we do?” Jaycee asked.

  “Medication, for right now anyways. We’ll see what works for him. It may take several weeks.”

  “What does that mean, Momma?” Marcus moved closer to her as he spoke. She pulled him the last few inches towards her and held him in her lap.

  Jaycee was suddenly reminded that he was still only twelve; just a kid.

  “It means we have an answer and should be grateful.” The hand not holding Marcus on her lap was suddenly clasped by Jaycee’s father from across the table.

  “That’s right. I’ll be fine, in time. We need to give thanks it isn’t something worse.” His mouth trembled slightly as he spoke, but his words were strong.

  Jaycee stood and went to his side, putting her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll all do what we can ‘til yer better.” Would he get better? This would be a lifelong fight. She took a deep breath, not really planning on revealing her job situation until after Thanksgiving. “I’ll be around to help more….during the day. I quit my job.”

  She saw everyone’s head swing in her direction. “Now what did ya’ go and do something dumb like that for,” Marcus exclaimed, slipping from his mother’s lap and back into his own chair. He pushed his chin into both hands, waiting for an explanation.

  Her parents were silent, though her mother didn’t look nearly as surprised as the rest of them.

  “I guess you could say that Mr. Carlisle and I didn’t get along.”

  “Meaning?” Her Daddy asked, his eyebrows lifting.

  “Daddy, I know he’s yer friend and I appreciate that him knowin’ you when I applied might have helped get me the job.”

  Her father interrupted. “We were friends a long time ago, Pumpkin, not recently. Did he do something?”

  Jaycee’s momma moved from the table and went to stand by Jaycee who had shifted closer to the refrigerator, the cool steel at her back.

  “Well, he was quite the showboat in his day. I suspect he still is. Is that the case?”

  Jaycee nodded silently, tears stinging the insides of her eyelids.

  “You did the only sensible thing then. We sure can use you ’round here for a spell anyhow. Right nice of God to work things out for us. He can use the bad for good, right, dear?” She asked this pointedly to Jaycee’s father.

  He stood then too, pushing his chair out and steadying himself momentarily with a hand on the table. “He surely can.” He passed Marcus’s chair and chucked him across the head, giving him a grin as he headed towards the living room. “It’ll be nice havin’ you both here more this week.”

  “I expect you’re tuckered out from doctor’s visit. I’ll bring you in some coffee, pills, and your fried onions.” Jaycee’s momma turned and her gaze met Jaycee’s own. She squished up her face at the mention of the offending food, but at the same time a smile curved her lips. They were both glad Daddy and his onions would be a part of their lives for a while to come.

  Wednesday morning passed quickly for Jaycee. She took over the cleaning of the house from her Momma, who went out with Marcus to take care of the livestock. Her father slept in and she tiptoed on slippered feet through much of the chores.

  The home phone was quiet, ominously so. She hadn’t heard from Dash. What was he thinking? Was he still mad about John? She hadn’t had a chance to tell him about her broken phone so, maybe he thought she was mad at him. Or…could be he thought she chose John over him.

  Her heart dropped when the thought crossed her mind. She never was one to wax poetic about any man. Romantic movies on TV only further irritated her about how sappy love could be. It didn’t stop her from having that certain yearning though, where Dash was concerned. He was a man, sure enough, and not just the
annoying boy who had chased her since she was old enough to dress herself. She missed him with each fiber of her flesh and every heartbreakingly sorry threaded breath.

  The back door slammed, pulling Jaycee from her funk. She had been leaning against a kitchen chair, fingering the recipes for the pies she need to start.

  Her Momma came up beside her, pushing her phone into her hand. “It’s Kitty.” She walked back out the back door to give her privacy.

  “Hello?” Jaycee said, putting the phone to her ear.

  “Girl, what is going on with your phone? I have to call your Momma to get you?”

  “It’s busted.” No need to explain further.

  “John’s been trying to get you and blowin’ up my phone!”

  “Seriously?”

  “Well, sure. I’ll text him your phone’s DOA.”

  “I’m goin’ to get another this afternoon, before everything closes down.”

  “How’s your daddy?”

  Jaycee’s brain formed the word before she could push it through her throat. It came out as a croak and her eyes filled with tears as she uttered, “Parkinson’s.”

  Silence and then Kitty’s stricken voice, “Oh! I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks. He’ll be ok.” Her strong, capable, generous Daddy…with Parkinson’s. The shakes and tremors, the swaying as he tried to regain his balance. Lord, heal him. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet.

  And suddenly, Jaycee remembered Dash…all alone. No Momma or Daddy. And she had disappeared as well, with no more than a flip of her corn silk hair, out of his life.

  “I gotta go, Kitty. I’ll text you when I get my new phone.”

  Jaycee hung up and immediately punched in Dash’s number. It was picked up on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Dash. It’s me, Jaycee.”

  “Well, I was sorta wonderin’ what your Momma would want with me.” His voice warmed Jaycee’s heart.