Just a Little White Lie(45)
Chapter Fourteen
The night air was hot and humid, the sky star-strewn. A three-quarter moon rode high. Lucinda breathed in deeply. Despite the mess they’d left inside, she’d have to be dead not to appreciate the scent of a Southern night. Jasmine, roses and wisteria blended to form a heady fragrance.
Jake headed toward the Jeep, and she scurried to match his pace.
“Where are we going?”
“To the Dixie Dog.”
In spite of her jumpy stomach, she laughed. “The Dixie Dog?”
“Yeah. Since we haven’t eaten yet, I’ll treat you to the best grub this side of the Mississippi. Heck, maybe the best on both sides. We can grab one of Big Jimmie’s famous burgers, and I’m tellin’ you, he makes the best sweet-tater fries you’ll ever taste. They’ll make you want to cry, they’re so good.”
He jammed the key into the ignition, then rested both hands on the steering wheel and turned to face her. “That was an ugly scene, sugar. I’ll apologize for my father and Wanda Sue. And for myself. I should have known better than to take you there tonight.”
She shook her head but found the tears too close to the surface for easy conversation.
Jake trailed a finger along the curve of her jaw, then pulled out onto the two-lane. He drove easily. She could hear the strain in his voice when he turned to her. “I’m really sorry about all that, Luce. That’s what my father does best. Manipulates, deceives and stirs things up till the result is exactly what he wants. He overshot himself this time, though, and you got caught in the crossfire.”
The moonlight bathed him in shadow. “Have you two butted heads your whole life?”
He didn’t answer right away, then sighed. “Nearly. It’s one of the reasons I left Pride.”
“I figured that.” Lucinda twisted the diamond on her finger. “My dad’s every bit as difficult, so believe me, I understand. You don’t have to apologize for him, Jake. He’s his own man, makes his own decisions.”
“Yeah, and everyone else’s.” Grimacing, he changed the subject. “Donald’s a real jerk. How did you ever get mixed up with him?”
She blew out a long breath. “Good question. I guess he was just the path of least resistance.” She leaned back into the seat. “That sounds terrible, doesn’t it?”
“Not really. That’s pretty much what Wanda Sue was, although I’ve got to admit that at one point there was something between us.”
“How old were you then?”
“Fifteen. Maybe sixteen.”
She laughed. “I can probably guess what was between you at that age.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, and you’d be right. Ragin’ hormones.” He tapped his thumb against the wheel. “You know, those pictures are gonna hit the stands tomorrow.”
“Yes. Tomorrow or the day after.” She rubbed at her head. “Do we have to talk about it? The damage is done. Let’s deal with all that when it comes. Tonight, you’re treating me to the Dixie Dog’s epicurean delights.”
“Okay.” He flashed a smile. “Just remember, you asked for this.”
The wind whistled through her hair and fanned her face. Why had she never ridden in an open-topped Jeep before? Maybe she should buy one. With the moon and the soft night air, it was darned near magical.
But as much as she hated to ruin the mood, she had one more question burning for an answer. “Can I ask something, Jake, without getting you all worked up again?”
“Sure.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? About Donald, my dad, the shrimpers.”
“The truth?”
She nodded.
“I didn’t want to complicate things.”
“Complicate things?”
“Oh, boy.” He took a deep breath. “No matter how I say this, it’s gonna sound wrong.”
“Just spit it out.”
“Okay. Luce, before I got to know you, you were just another corporate snob to me. I’d seen you on TV, in the newspapers. In magazines. The little rich girl. And this whole mess… It was your daddy’s company, after all. For all I knew, you’d been part of the deal. Had helped broker it.”
Hurt speared through her. “I’d never take advantage of anyone like that.”
He threw up a hand in frustration. “I wanted to believe that right from the first, but I couldn’t be sure.” He reached over, took his hand in hers. “I know now. I know you’re too good-hearted to be messed up in a scheme like that.”
Jake raised her fingers to his lips, dropped a warm kiss on her knuckles. “I told you it wouldn’t sound good. You said—”