LLucy’s Revenge(Divine Creek Ranch 15)(60)
Beck was brought back to the present as Lucy called out, “Patrick Junior? Want a little snack to tide you over until supper?”
The little man came barreling back from the front of the shop and nodded vigorously. He reminded Beck of the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character, flitting from place to place like a pint-sized tornado. “Yeah, sure! Whatcha got?”
Lucy corralled him into her kitchenette next to her office and sat him down at her little table. “Patrick Junior, I’ve been wondering about something, honey.”
“Whatcha wonderin’ about, Lucy?”
“Do you like being called Patrick Junior all the time?”
“Well, it’s my name, ain’t it?”
Lucy giggled. “Isn’t it?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Yes, but don’t you get confused with your dad, Patrick, a lot?”
Patrick Junior nodded quite vigorously. “Oh yeah! And when my preschool teacher calls my name she always says what a mouthful it is because she imagines my name must get called a lot when I’m at home. She calls my name all the time so she would know. But I don’t wanna change it. I like being named after daddy.”
Beck caught on to Lucy’s train of thought and noted Patrick’s pleased smile and the way he stood a little straighter at his son’s admission.
“What do you think about a nickname? Like a special name that we use with you.”
“Could we make everyone use it?” he asked. The enthusiasm glowing in his eyes made Beck happy. Not much got that kid down.
“Sure, if you want. Did you have something in mind?”
“How about Cooter? You could name me after Beck’s old bulldog!”
All three adults laughed and Lucy squatted down beside the boy, giving Beck and Patrick a nice view of her sexy tush encased in her snug blue jeans. His hand itched to caress her there but didn’t because of the boy.
Lucy said, “Well, Cooter is a nice name but nicknames have a way of following you around for a long time. Your future girlfriends may not like calling you Cooter.”
Patrick Junior screwed up his face like he’d sucked a lemon. “Girlfriends? I don’t want any girlfriends!”
“Not ever?” Lucy replied with mock surprise.
“Well, only if she’s like you, Lucy. Then I might have me a girlfriend. But only if she’s just like you.”
“So what else could we call you?”
“Well, sometimes Aunt Maizy calls me PJ or Pugsly. I like both of those.”
Lucy bit her lip and looked like she was fighting laughter. “Well, I kind of like PJ. It’s nice and simple. I’d be willing to bet your teacher likes it.”
The boy nodded as he stuffed the peanut butter on bread she’d just made for him into his mouth and then spoke through the mouthful of food. “I like it. Can we, Dad?” He looked up at his dad with hopeful eyes automatically assuming his dad would understand his garbled words.
“Of course. I think it’s a swell idea.”
“PJ it is, then,” she announced as she patted PJ’s shoulder and stood back up. She tapped him on the shoulder and said, “You don’t leave that seat until that sandwich and your drink are gone, okay?”
Patrick grinned and nodded and said something what sounded like “Yes, ma’am!”
Out in the front of the shop, the three of them looked at the wooden, glass-fronted display cabinet that stood in the middle of the reception area of the shop, waiting to be put into position.
Lucy crossed her arms under her breasts and fiddled with her full lip as she stood looking at it and then around the room. Beck wondered if she had any idea how sexy she was and how crazy she drove him. He did his best to ignore the tingle in his groin as he watched her rub her lower lip back and forth.
Beck had wondered why she’d bought the big monstrosity until Lucy had explained that it reminded her of the much larger one that Summer and Margot had at Discretion, which they used for interior displays and as a checkout counter. Knowing what the shop sold, Beck speculated about what they put on display in it. Lube? Butt plugs? Undies?
Lucy ran her hand over the smooth oak surface and said, “This will make a wonderful reception counter. I’ll use the inside for product displays.”
“Are you planning on carrying product in here? You’ll need someone to man the counter, won’t you?”
“Yes. I’ll be putting an ad for a receptionist in the paper soon. Besides the massage products I use, I’d also stock some of your beeswax body care products, if you’d like. Lily and the girls rave about them and I think my customers would be interested, too. I’ve been thinking about it since you mentioned the craft fair coming up in May. What do you think?”