Secrets Behind Those Eyes (12 page)

“I would have torn more off than that
had we not moved fast enough.”

She slips her dress over her head sans
panties. As I reach over in the closet I keep a few clothes in.
“I’ve got a couple of extra pair of boxer trunks in here. I know
how you like wearing my underwear.”

“Nope I think I’m going without
panties just to torture you. I may even stop by the grocery store
on the way home.”

“Um no. You can run around here with
no panties all you like, but you are not stopping anywhere on the
way home.”

“Well I might take your argument more
seriously if you weren’t standing there half hard and butt ass
naked.”

“Oh I can be completely hard in just a
second thinking about you with no panties under that
dress.”

“Come on. Get dressed you perv I have
to finish my sketch.”

I finish getting dressed and walk out
where she has picked up her sketch looking over it. “Wow that is an
awesome sketch.”

“It’s Button and his
momma.”

“Baby that is beautiful.”

“Well I still have some shading to do
and a few corrections here and there.”

“You are so talented.” She shades and
sketches for a little longer.

Then she looks over at me. “I have a
strange question. Why is there a bathroom out here?”

“Well. We get really nasty some days
out here. Like if we have to help a cow give birth or when they are
sick. Things like that so it’s easier to shower and change out here
than me going all the way back down to the house or Nelson having
to ride home that way.”

“Oh well that makes sense. I figured
it was something like that, but I didn’t know.”

I hear the barn door open.
“RYDER!”

“In here dad!”

“Well hey Scarlet.” She waves back to
him. “Here I need you to take this down to Nana.”

He hands me a brown grocery bag full
of fresh cut okra. “What the hell dad? Where did this come
from?”

“Mr. Beck ran into me at the post
office and wanted to make sure she got this.”

“Oh yeah he’s got the hots for
Nana.”

“Ryder.” Dad sneers as Scarlet
snickers.

“Hey I’m just telling you what she
told me. At least the okra is better than the homemade hooch that
Mr. Fitzgerald sent her the other week when I ran into him at the
feed store.”

He shakes his head. “Good Lord. That
woman I swear.” I start laughing. “Just take the damn okra to her
house.” He turns to walk to the door. “Scarlet did you do this
sketch?”

She smiles. “Yes.”

He smiles. “It’s beautiful.” Then
walks to the door. “Good to see you again Scarlet.”

She waves. “Good to see you too Mr.
Abbott.”

“Did you get all you needed for your
assignment?”

“Yeah I can do the shading and stuff
at home. But I am going to take you up on the underwear offer after
all. Because I can’t go see Nana commando.”

I laugh as she goes back in the
bathroom to slip on a pair of my underwear. She steps back out into
the barn. I grab her hand. “Ready to go?”

She smiles. “Yep.”

“We’ll take the jeep.”

Chapter 19

Scarlet

Pulling up to Nana Pearl’s
house she’s sitting in the rocking chair. She’s the definition of a
true southern lady.
I’m going to sketch
her one day on this porch.

“Well. What do I owe the pleasure of
having you two come by?”

Ryder sits the bag on the porch. “Mr.
Beck ran into dad at the post office, he sent this to
you.”

“That man just won’t take no for an
answer.”

I sit down in the rocking chair next
to her. “Are you playing hard to get Nana?”

She laughs. “Honey it’s like they said
in moving one time. At my age we don’t play hard to get we play
beat the clock.”

Ryder leans back against the porch
railing. “Nana I don’t want to hear this stuff

“We’ve had this discussion
boy.”

He laughs. “I know. I know. I’m
changing my ways.”

She smiles. “I hope so. I like this
little girl right here.”

“Hey Scar go get that sketch you did
and let Nana see it.”

I draw in a deep breath. “It’s not
really finished yet.”

“Baby it looks awesome. Go get it
please.”

I finally give in. I run to the jeep
and grab my pad. Stepping back on the porch I show the sketch to
Nana.

“Sweet girl this is just beautiful. It
looks so real.”

“Thank you.” I feel a blush creeping
up on my cheeks. “Button is really cute.”

Nana looks up. “Button?”

“Yes she named the calf
Button.”

Nana laughs. “He is cute. Y’all want
some sweet tea?”

Ryder stands up. “No thank you. I plan
on taking Scarlet out to dinner tonight.”

I look up. “Oh really you do? Well I
don’t think you’ve asked me.”

Nana chuckles as she lights her
cigarette up.

Ryder looks back at her. “Nana I
thought you were going to try that vapor cig I got for
you.”

“I did I don’t like it and I figure I
got to be this damn old by doing whatever in the hell I wanna do I
might as well keep doing it. Also I figure you need to ask this
lady out on a date not tell her she’s going.”

He smiles over at me. “Scarlet would
you go out to dinner with me tonight?”

I put my finger against my chin like
I’m thinking. “Hmm I guess I will.”

We wrap up our visit with Nana and he
takes me back to my car. He leans in the window after I’m in and
kisses me. “I’ll pick you up at 6 okay?”

I nod. “Sure. Now where are we going?
So I know how to dress.”

“How about the Tapa’s Bar?”

“Sounds good.”

~*~*~

Looking down at the pencil skirt and
blouse I’m wearing Ryder smiles in appreciation. “You look
nice.”

I feel the blush of my cheeks. “Thank
you.”

“You ready to go?”

“Yes.” I follow him out to his jeep.
After he gets in his side I laugh. “So did you ask Judd for advice
on this date too?”

“Nope I did this one all on my
own.”

“How sweet.” We just make casual talk
until we get to the restaurant.

Making our way inside and finding a
table, we sit down and order drinks. “You look really nice tonight.
Have I ever told you that I love your smile?”

“Thank you.”

A couple of sleazy looking girl stroll
up to our table. “Hey Ryder.” They purr.

He nods. “Lacey. Bethany Sue. How are
you guys doing tonight?”

Lacey winks. “Doing good now that I’ve
laid eyes on you.”

“Well, we are kinda in the middle of a
date so if you’ll excuse us.” Ryder says with a sweetness dripping
from his tongue.

They wave as they sashay
off.

“Well they seem nice I
guess.”

He shakes his head. “They are catty
bitches.”

I know I’m going to regret asking
this. “Did you sleep with either of them?”

“No I almost did though. The night
that got me community service. I was headed to Lacey’s she was
passed out topless when we wrecked.”

“Oh.” Suddenly feeling
nervous.

“Look I’m being honest
with you. I want to always be honest with you. Yes I just about
made a damn stupid mistake with her. Trust me the entire town was
talking about it. Nana crawled my ass
because the ladies at her beauty shop told
her.”

I laugh. “I bet she did. If you’ll
excuse me I have to go to the ladies room.”

He nods and make my way to the
restroom. As I’m finishing up in the stall I hear the door open and
two girls come in giggling. I hesitate before walking
out.

“So did you see Ryder with
her?”

“Yes I guess since she struck out with
Dustin she’s moved on to bigger and better.”

“Well that won’t last long. Ryder will
get over his little revenge case soon enough and I’ll get to finish
what I started a few months ago.”

“She’s pretty cute are you know. Do
you really think this is about revenge with Dustin?”

“Why else would it be?
Dustin never screwed her. He’s trying to fuck her because he and
Dustin still have this damn hatred toward each other. It’s really
stupid. It’s all over that poor friend of his. Kelsie told me about
that guy.”

Finally I’ve had enough I step out the
door and they both freeze I walk to the counter and wash my hands.
I don’t say a word to them I just turn and walk out the
door.

I make my way back to the table Ryder
smiles as I sit down. I look up, “Ryder I’m not really feeling well
do you think we can go?”

“Sure. Are you sure you are ready to
go?”

“Yeah I just think I’m just
tired.”

He pays the bill and we drive back to
my house making small talk. Once we get to my house he looks over
at me. “Scarlet what’s going on?”

“Have you been screwing me to get even
with Dustin?”

“What the fuck? How can you even think
that?”

“I overheard Lacey and
Bethany Sue
in the
bathroom. They seem to think so.”

“Look at me. Do not ever listen to
anything those catty bitches have to say. They are jealous, you
have me don’t you realize that. You have every part of me, so much
that it fucking scares me. Don’t you see that?”

I can even seem to form words. “I’m
sorry. They just brought out all of my insecurities. This is a lot
to digest for one night, my emotions are all over the place. I just
need to go in and get some sleep I think. I’m sorry
again.”

He winks and smiles. “It’s
okay I know I’m a lot to take in.”

I bark out a laugh. “You always have a
way of turning things into sex don’t you?”

“Yes. But I’m serious you trust me
don’t you?”

I think for a second. “Yes I do. I
just need a little bit of time.”

He leans over the console and kisses
me deep. “Just think about that. I’m giving you a day to think and
then I’m coming back for more.”

I nod. “Okay.”

Once I get to my room I sag against
the door.

Do I really trust him? How
do I know that he’s real, that this isn’t some kind of game to him?
I can’t be embarrassed like that again.

My phone beeps that I have a text
message.

Cade: Daria’s blood
pressure is off the charts. They are going to do a C-Section in the
morning. She wanted me to let you know that if you can’t make it
here tomorrow she understands. We know you have school.

I grab my overnight bag and start
packing. Maybe a couple of days is what I need.

Me: I’m leaving now. I’ll
be there in a few hours.

Cade: It’s too late for
you to be leaving.

Me: It’s only 7 here I can
be at your house around midnight your time. I’m coming I’ll call
you along the way.

I grab my duffle bag, leave mom a note
and head out the door.

Chapter 20

Ryder

Waking up this morning. I know I’m
never going to make it the full day I gave her. I’ve got to see
her. She’s got to know just how much I care for her I want
her.

I’m going to take her to breakfast.
“Dad when Nelson stops by tell him I’ve got some things to do
today. I won’t be back until later.”

“Okay. You taking Scarlet out for the
day or something?”

“Gonna try to.”

He chuckles. “Good luck
son.”

I drive to her house and knock on the
door. No answer. “Come on Scarlet open up.” I notice her car isn’t
here. Maybe she’s at class already. I call her phone no
answer.

I wait an hour, call again no
answer.

I wait another hour still
no answer. I text
Call me please
no response.

I make it back home and I’m beyond
pissed. Dad sees me come in.

“So I take it you didn’t go to
breakfast.”

“I can’t fucking get up
with her.”

“Okay son. Slow down tell me what all
this is about.”

I sit down and tell dad about our date
last night and our conversation in the car. I probably talk to him
more in that afternoon than I’ve talked to him in the past ten
years.

“Son. You do know that you reputation
with women has a lot to be desired. Having someone from your past
show up like that and her hear those things would make anyone
uneasy. Especially when someone has been treated the way she was by
Dustin. You should understand the whole trust thing.”