“You think I’m gonna have a drink with you?” she shrieked, appalled by the offer.
A hint of a smile flirted on his lip. He handed her the shot. “I thought it might settle you down.”
JC gripped the cold glass between her fingers. “Whiskey makes me louder.”
He glanced at Codge with bent brow, downed his shot and removed the shot glass from JC’s fingers, setting it on the bar. “Look ma’am, if whisky makes you feistier, you don’t need this.”
Her mouth dropped open with a huff. Defiantly, she reached over, grabbed the shot between her fingers and tossed it back in one swig. Licking the burning sweet whiskey from her lips, JC choked, “Why do you keep calling me ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am to you?”
Her irritation grew as he simply gaped at her mouth.
“I’m from Texas. We call—”
“Well you’re not in Texas! You’re in California…naked in my pool.”
Codge let out a deep throaty chuckle as he filled the shot glass again.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Clemmins. I thought you were out of town. I’m—”
“Ewww! I am not Mrs. Clemmins.” JC wrinkled her nose. “Mrs. Clemmins is my mother and Mr. Clemmins is my stepdad.”
Staring at JC, he mused over her in bewilderment before swallowing another shot of Jack.
Codge snickered for the second time.
“I’ve about heard enough out of you, old man,” the man warned with a sharp glare.
“Hey! Don’t you talk to my friend like that,” JC sassed back boldly.
“I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
Codge crooned, smiling ear from ear. “Her name is JC Mathews.”
Her streaker’s ice blue eyes smiled teasingly. “JC, darlin’, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Codge is my friend.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Codge mouthed something to the man. She snapped her head toward the bar, snarling, “Are you enjoying this, Codge? What did you just say to him?”
Codge held out his hands blamelessly, pointing to the man with flushed cheeks. “Me? I didn’t say anything. Ask him.”
JC’s patience pushed past her limits. Throwing her hands in the air, she pointed at both men. “Bullshit! Somebody better start talking. You still haven’t told me why you were in my yard! And don’t call me darlin’!”
Codge shot the man a wary glance. “Reed, my friend, you’re on your own. I’ve known her family for too many years.” He nervously stroked his goatee. “I said—”
“I guess it can’t get any worse. He said goddess. My name is Reed. I’m your neighbor. And I was caught swimming naked in your pool because I was hot. I thought you were out of town. Hell, I’ve never seen anyone at that house and the day I decide, What the hell, Reed, no one’s home, you show up. I’m sorry for scaring the daylights out of ya’. I thought you were—”
“A goddess. He thought you were a goddess,” Codge belted out a booming laugh.
Reed glowered at Codge as if he was about to commit murder. “I thought you were Mrs. Clemmins.”
Codge chuckled. “That’s not exactly how he told the story. There was definitely a goddess mixed in there somewhere, along with—”
“Codge!” The roar of Reed’s harsh warning made JC flinch.
The old man smiled big enough to stick a nickel in his dimples. “JC, did you come here to eat one of my famous turkey burgers? Why don’t you two have a seat at a table and let your new neighbor dig himself a big hole? Dinner’s on me.”
Giving Codge the stare-down, Reed grumbled, motioning at a table in the corner of the bar. “It’s the least he can do for being such a blabber mouth.”
JC squinted, giving Reed a guarded, suspicious stare.
“I’ll vouch for him. Even though he apparently likes to trespass naked in the middle of the night. No need to worry, JC. Reed’s a good guy.”
“I’m starving. Surely, you have to be hungry?” Reed gave a pleading curt nod as if hoping for vindication. A shy grin hung on the corner of his full lips. “I promise to keep my clothes on.”
If there was any one thing she knew about Codge, he was a man of his word. He’d never put her in harm’s way and was the closest thing she had to a grandfather.
Tentatively, JC ambled toward the table. Turning mid-stride to face him, she bumped right into his chest. His strong rough hands clasped her by the elbows, steadying her balance.
“Sorry,” she squeaked, inhaling the spicy wooded scent of his cologne. Drawing in another whiff of him she almost sighed out loud. JC frowned suspiciously. “Are you really my neighbor? What happened to the mean old woman?”