Hotter than Texas (Pecan Creek) - By Tina Leonard Page 0,37
have a house, Bobby?” he asked, knowing it was pointless. His place had always been the hangout.
“I like yours better,” Bobby said.
It was becoming a theme. Apparently Bobby also liked his girl, even if Sugar didn’t know he had eyes for her and his feelings were unreciprocated. Jake sighed. “You know where the pillows and blankets are. I’m going back to bed.”
“We didn’t think you’d be here,” Kel said. “We figured you’d be at Averie’s. The only reason we banged on the door was because we saw your truck. Otherwise, we would have let ourselves in.”
“Thank you for respecting the obvious,” Jake said, “and there is no way I’d be staying at Averie’s, so please don’t encourage that rumor.”
“Whatever floats your boat.” Kel went past him, as did Bobby. He heard them unload the fridge and then commandeer their usual complement of blankets and pillows, and Jake wondered what it would be like if he wasn’t carrying everybody in this town.
That was a dishonorable thought. These men were his fellow soldiers, best friends, family. He went into the den where they’d ensconced themselves with the remote, bags of chips and a couple six packs of various sodas. Sighing, Jake let himself down into the leather recliner Evert usually selected. “Why’d Debbie lock you out?”
“I told you. She’s divorcing me because I’m a schmuck.” Kel didn’t look too happy. “I know she called me that because one of the kids heard her telling someone on the phone that I’m a schmuck, and that my dipstick doesn’t work anymore.”
“Crap.” Jake closed his eyes briefly. “I hope you realize after staring down Lucy’s blouse all night that you’re trying to drive a submarine with a paddle, Kel. You need to give up on this Lucy problem and get your wife back.”
“Hey. Porn.” Kel stared at the TV, entranced. “When did we start getting porn in PC?”
Bobby took the remote from Kel. “I’m not watching other people doing what I’m not.”
Jake looked at his friend. “And what was all that business with you sucking up to Sugar tonight, anyway, Bobby?”
Bobby shook his head. “I wasn’t sucking up. I just wasn’t leaving her to be the night’s leftover. That’s too hot of a woman to leave her sitting there staring at you trying to have it both ways.”
“I was not— Oh hell.” Jake got up. “Kel, do you need anything? Toothbrush?”
“Underwear,” Kel said. “Debbie says she gave almost all my clothes to charity. I think she left the suit I married her in. She said she wanted me to have a memento of what I gave up.”
“Christ. This is serious, Kel. I don’t think Debbie’s messing around about this divorce thing,” Jake said. “You need to fix this fast.”
“You know,” Kel said, his gaze on the TV where Bobby was channel-surfing, “when we were in Afghanistan, I thought about Debbie all the time. I just wanted to come home and be with her. Then I got home, and I swear she’d changed somehow.” He looked up at Jake. “This isn’t about Lucy. This started before Lucy.”
“Your dipstick lost its stick before you saw Lucy?” Bobby asked, his paw deep in a bag of chips.
“I just didn’t want to mention it before,” Kel said. His big face wore a tortured expression. “Can you imagine what it’s like to come home and not be able to make love to your wife?”
Jake and Bobby stared at him. Jake’s heart sank.
“God, I’m sorry, Kel. Have you thought about counseling?” Jake asked.
“I’m not going to counseling.”
“You think plowing a different field will fix it?” Bobby asked.
“I know it will,” Kel said. “I know it does. Just sitting next to Lucy tonight, smelling her perfume and looking down her blouse gave me a hard-on the likes I haven’t had in years.”
“Less details,” Jake said. “Look. I’m going to go out on a ledge here, way out of my comfort zone, but is there a chance maybe you and Debbie should seek couple’s counseling?”
Kel shook his head. “She’s not interested. She thinks my problem’s because of her.”
God. Maybe Kel had some kind of posttraumatic stress issue. Lucy had come to town hotter than a firecracker in July, and Debbie had latched on to Lucy as the reason for Kel’s problem, and Kel had latched on to Lucy as his savior.
Jake felt sorry for his friend. “Kel, man, I’m sorry as hell. But do yourself a favor. Do not look to Lucy for answers. She is not it.”