Anything but Minor (10 page)

The man was fire.

“It was for the seashell, of course.”

“You know good seashells are hard to find, and by the way, you
took
it. I didn’t give it, yet you give your lips so freely in exchange.”

“Yet?” he mimicked as he took another step forward, and I was forced to look up at him. “Is there something else you want in exchange, Alice?”

Your big bat.

“Well, of course not,” I practically sprayed out as I stared up at him.

“You sure?” he said as he inched closer. “I’d be happy to oblige.”

Feeling powerless, and my resolve slipping along with my will to keep my dress on, I put up my best fight.

“I’m sure you would. You know,” I piped as I mustered up my courage and best shot at southern twang, “you’re the definition of a southern gentleman, Rafe. I bet you take the dishes out the sink before you pee in it.”

Rafe burst into laughter at my personal rendition and favorite line from “Steel Magnolias”. I was pretty sure he didn’t place it. I gave my inner Ouiser high five.

“You doin’ anything tomorrow afternoon?”

“Not really, no,” I said as I looked over to the water and pushed my foot through the sand.

“Good, I could use some help,” he said as his eyes alone covered me in goose bumps. “I’ll text you.”

“Rafe, come on, baby, naked poker!” the girl who had staked her claim on him earlier shrieked from somewhere near the fire.

Rafe lifted a brow in question.

“Not a chance in Satan’s hell,” I said as I nodded toward the party. “That’s all you, playboy.”

The air between us whirled with tension, much like the sea breeze that surrounded us. I was under his spell, and he full well knew it. “Shame,” he said as he stared down at me. “It would have made my day a whole helluva lot better to know what color your panties are. And, Alice, I
meant
that sexually.”

“Better not keep her waiting,” I said as I took a step back and broke our connection.

“I know what color her panties are,” he said dryly.

I studied him hard as he put his hands in his pockets. “I’m not sure what you want me to think of you, Rafe.”

“I’m pretty sure I just want you to think of me, Alice,” he said in a whisper as he turned and walked back to the party.

I spent a majority of my day staring at the Google animation in my office. They really were inventive with those letters. Today was Earth Day and the O in Google was a spinning mother earth, reminiscent of Mrs. Potato Head with those gloved white arms and large features. One of the Ls morphed into a squirrel gathering nuts while another of the letters planted a tree. The fact that designing things like this was actually someone’s job baffled me. I bet that person sat in their office in Mountain View, high on a pot brownie from lunch, and smiled all day every day. They probably went home and had sex on a pile of money with their husband or wife and picked out tomorrow’s work outfit of lazy beach wear, just as excited to show up as the day before. I peeked around my screen to see my class full of new pilots answering a questionnaire I’d decided to pass out in lieu of introducing myself. A few of them looked up at me as I squared my shoulders, redirecting my gaze to the screen and pretending to type.

You can’t hide every day.

But I can today.

I’d agreed to meet Rafe at an address by text in a few hours. He told me to “Come in something I could get dirty in.”

The man had darn near stripped me of my confidence last night. I wanted him in the worst way, and I could at least admit to myself at the moment I did not want him to see last night’s panties of the stage-five clinger who’d ogled him right along with me last night. My lip curled in distaste as I thought of them together, and yet he’d made it clear he wanted me...sexually.

“Pig,” I muttered under my breath. I must have been blind when I thought there was more depth to that man. True colors are often the biggest slaps in the face. He’d all but told me he was dominant in the sack last night and little else. Maybe with Rafe what you saw was what you got. At least I had a date with a handsome Trey to look forward to.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the pilots filed out one by one, and I plastered a smile on my face as I said my goodbyes. Tomorrow, I would do better; today, I just didn’t have it in me. I looked to the sky out of my window as I watched a plane descend into the nearby airport. There had never been a time in my life when I didn’t want to be a pilot. I’d never second guessed that decision. The choice to be an instructor had come later, and I doubted it daily.

I decided airtime would be a temporary and quick fix and scheduled myself some airtime for the following week. It would cost a small fortune, but it was more than necessary.

I needed a reason to keep going.

I pulled up to the address hours later in blue jean shorts, a white tank, and sneakers. It had taken me the better part of half an hour to find the place with my drunken GPS. Every direction I looked at was a sea of grass and trees. The house sat nestled in acres of land that desperately needed some TLC. The grass was overgrown. I spotted Rafe to the left of the large country home, gassing up a riding lawn mower. I approached him as he shut the lid of the rider and looked at me with a satisfied grin.

“Thanks for coming,” he said as I looked around the house and back to him.

“What’re we doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Rafe said as he grabbed my hand and led me to a small shed at the back of the property. Rows of flowers and bags of mulch sat on the cement floor along with all the tools a gardener could possibly need.

“It is now,” I said as I gave him a puzzled look.

“You two got what you need?” I jumped as I turned to see the face that matched the familiar voice.

“Hi, Dutch!”

“Hi, Alice,” she said as she took a step forward. “Thank you,” she said as she looked anywhere but at me, “for helping with this.”

“My pleasure,” I replied with enthusiasm to try to help with her discomfort.

“If you need anything, Rafe, just holler,” she directed at Rafe before she turned to me. “You too, missy.” She began her walk back to the house, which I assumed belonged to her, and for the first time, I noticed her limp. I turned back to Rafe in question.

“She lost her leg to diabetes last year. And you know about her husband, Herb?”

“Not really, no...I mean, I know he passed, but I don’t know what happened,” I said as I surveyed the land and the amount of work it needed. It was several hours until sunset, but the job was daunting.

“He died having a stint put in his heart. One day he was here, the next he was gone. He had a massive heart attack on the table. She refuses to leave this house, except to attend ballgames, so I help her when I can. She can’t manage it herself.” I looked back to Rafe, who was now bare chested, and looked completely edible in his beige cargo shorts that seemed to be a wardrobe staple of his. His hat was flipped backward and the only thing more alluring than his ripped chest was the hopeful smile on his face.

“So you up for this?”

“I don’t have a green thumb, but it
is
Earth Day,” I said as I grabbed a pair of gloves. “I’ll take the entrance.”

“Anything will help,” he said as he fired up the lawn mower and stuck his ear buds in. “Thanks, Alice.”

For the next three hours, I found myself enjoying the task. The cool air and welcomed sunshine on my face brought me out of my pity party concerning my career choice. Once I’d cleared the weeds from the walkway and thoroughly aerated the dirt, I began the task of strategically planting flowers. I looked up every so often to find Rafe had made amazing progress cutting what had to be several acres of grass. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Every once in a while, I would catch his eyes on me, a nod or a smile of comradery shared between us. Once finished, I showered fresh water on my newly planted flowers in preparation of the mulch.

“That looks incredible,” Rafe said behind me as he cradled his arms around me and put his hands beneath my hose. I could smell the mix of his soap and sweat as he surrounded me without actually touching me. Temptation once again reared his ugly head, and I was, for once, ready to just give in.

“I was thinking we could place some walkway lights,” I said as I looked over my shoulder into his hazel eyes and then back to the newly planted, delicate bushes.

“I like that idea. It’s about time for a break. Hop in the Jeep.”

I gripped the hose and began to spray off my legs, but Rafe snatched it quickly and began to spray me off. He held the hose low as he washed the dirt off of my caked knees and then suddenly aimed it directly at my chest. I screamed out in outrage as the entirety of my chest was soaked, and my nipples showed up to the party as the perkiest of guests.

“You jerk,” I seethed as Dutch walked outside with two large bottles of Gatorade. We both thanked her as we took the drinks and downed them greedily.

“We’re off to find some things, Dutch. We’ll be back shortly.”

“Really, you’ve done enough,” she said as she looked around appreciatively. “Wow, you two have really...wow.”

I smiled with pride as I surveyed the grass and the entrance. It really looked like a different place. It felt amazing to be a part of the rare and full smile that graced Dutch’s face. I looked over to Rafe, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. Dutch and I had been cozy enough as friends at the games, but seeing her in her element was completely different. Silent and feeling accomplished, we both piled into his Jeep and made our way through the country roads. Rafe turned up the radio and began to sing along with the music as I looked over at him with a grin. He squeezed my knee as he sang directly to me with emphasis on every word. His expression, his touch on my knee, the twinkle in his eyes, it was surreal. When the song ended, I looked at him in question.

“Dutch is a friend of yours?”

“You could say that,” he said as we circled a roundabout and he parked at Lowe’s.

“She’s been there rain or shine for every single game.” He looked away briefly. “She loves the game and the team.”

“She’s your biggest fan.”

“And I’m hers,” he said as he turned to me. “Let’s go.”

A while later, our cart was filled with solar lights that complemented the walkway. Unbeknownst to Dutch, I’d purchased a porch swing that would be delivered later that week. I could see the appreciation in Rafe for the gesture as he looked over at me.

I shrugged it off. “Now that she’s got a view, she needs a good seat.”

Outside of Lowe’s and back in the Jeep, Rafe grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together and didn’t let go until we got back to Dutch’s house. Once we’d placed all our finishing touches and did a little clean up, Rafe turned to me.

“Follow me out. I’m taking you to eat.”

“Rafe, I’m filthy!”

“It won’t matter at this place.”

My stomach growled. “Okay,” I agreed as we said our goodbyes to Dutch, who seemed overwhelmed by our gesture. I could’ve sworn I saw tears fill her eyes before she quickly made her way back down her walkway and into the house.

“Maybe I should go after her. She seems upset.”

“Dutch is a
very
private person,” Rafe warned. “She’s just happy, I promise,” he assured as he pushed my wayward hair off of my shoulders. “Come on, I’m starving.”

I followed Rafe closely in my Prius as he took the back roads. I reveled in the feeling of a hard day’s work and smiled as I recalled the look on Dutch’s face and came to the conclusion again that there was more to Rafe than he let on.

Rafe Hembrey had depth
and
a giving and beautiful heart.

Rafe stopped outside a one-story, wooden house on the marsh that had a simple sign written in white and blue that read Peggy’s Fish Camp. I got out, still reluctant, with my hair in a tight, dirt-filled bun and covered in a day of sweat.

“Come on. It’s fine, I promise,” he urged as he gripped my hand and pulled me reluctantly inside. Once there, the smell of fried fish wafted through the air, and my stomach began to growl again with neglect.

“Let’s get you local and out of your Google-filled tourist trap,” he chuckled as we sat at a table covered in newspaper.