Hotter than Texas (Pecan Creek) - By Tina Leonard Page 0,53
sister were in the military.”
“I know. So was I. So?”
“But little sister was dishonorably discharged. Apparently there was a fracas with an officer.”
His gut cramped. Dishonorably discharged could mean anything, but it wasn’t good. “It doesn’t say why?”
“No. But there’s all kinds of ramifications involved in such a thing, and as an officer, you’ll appreciate it’s not a high mark.”
“Okay.” Jake sighed. “Go on, if you must.”
“The mother has been married twice. I don’t know if she ever got a divorce from husband number two. The detective couldn’t find a record. No one knows what happened to the husband, which I find a bit strange.”
Jake figured this was Lassiter’s problem. “Go ahead. What’s behind door number three?”
“And Sugar,” his mother said with relish, “has recently been divorced. Apparently, she caught her ex with his hands in the cookie jar.”
He winced. Made a note to stay far away from Averie, or Sugar was never going to trust him. “Half the people in this country get divorced. Sad but true statistic, I guess. Unless you’re married to a bastard, which it sounds like Sugar’s ex must have been.”
“The only thing is,” Vivian said, “there’s some question as to whatever happened to dear old dad. The ex knows. And when the detective approached Capt. Ramon Higueras to chat about it—”
“Very unprofessional,” Jake snapped. “Do you know the snakes you hired are lower than dirt?”
“The ex claims Sugar got rid of the sterling stepfather,” Vivian said, shrugging. “Of course, this Ramon had been fed about a twelve-pack by then, so he was a little looser than he normally might have been. He could have been spinning a bitter ex tale. My source says, however, that the strange thing is that Sugar’s husband seems to still be madly in love with her. He’s hoping that her business venture will die and she’ll fall on her face and come home to him.” Vivian looked at him. “What business venture do the free-n-easies have going in our house, Jake?”
He drained his soda Left it on the table. “I’ve got to go, Mom.”
“Jake!” She followed him to the front door. “You needed to know all this!”
He waved back at his mother, jumped in his truck.
“Jake!”
He drove away.
There was only one thing to do.
Chapter Thirteen
Twenty minutes later, Jake had driven by his house, grabbed a six pack of beer and a bag of chocolate chip cookies—comfort food—and headed down the road to the creek. He had to think, and the only place he could think in peace and quiet without Kel’s issues or his mother’s fixation with the Hot Nuts, or Averie wanting to relive their relationship, was his private hideaway.
He passed Sugar and Paris walking down the road, looking like she might be heading into town. “Don’t do this,” he told himself and backed up his truck.
“Hey,” he said, and she smiled at him.
“Hi.”
Just her smile made his muscles relax. He hadn’t realized how tense he was until he breathed out at the sight of her. “Where are you two ladies off to?”
“We’re heading into town. We’re going to get a new dog bowl and a bag of dog treats.”
He looked at Paris, the world’s most spoiled dog now, and her beautiful red-haired mother. Paris had on an autumn-leaf-themed kerchief around her neck. Sugar wore capri jeans and a green top that showed just a bit of her waist, and he wanted to sit and stare at her all afternoon.
“Where are you going?” Sugar asked.
“Just going to head off for a bit.”
“Oh.” Sugar smiled. “Have fun.” She started walking again, and he watched her fanny move from side to side in the tight jeans, and groaned.
She was dynamite in his world, capable of blowing his heart to bits. He knew that now, but he wasn’t entirely sure it mattered.
He pulled his truck up beside her, and she and Paris stopped again. Sugar looked at him, a question in her eyes.
“I’m going to take the canoe out.”
She nodded. “Good.”
“You know, I—”
“Jake. I get it. You don’t have to explain anything to me. This is one of those times where you need to get away. You have your ways, just like Lassiter.”
He looked at her. “I guess so. Never thought about it that way before, but—”
“Anyway, you don’t have to tell me every time you breathe, Jake.” Sugar smiled at him, and his heart dropped. “I’ve got to go. I promised Paris treats, and I keep my word.”