Being friendly is hard work.
Giving my little talk about alligators had just about erased the uneasiness I’d felt at the noise in the woods. But with the visitors gone, a twinge of fear came back. What was it moving toward me, pinning me between the woods and Ollie’s wall? Was it just the couple’s son, stomping around in a teenage sulk? Or was it something more sinister?
I decided to try to find the Nintendo-addicted Bobby, and ask him some questions. Normally, I’d cut through the woods, reducing by half a fifteen-minute walk to the parking lot. Today, I stayed in the clearing as long as possible. Then, I chose a wide, well-marked path.
The parking lot held just three vehicles in addition to the VW and Rhonda’s car. One was a burgundy Mercury, with Pennsylvania plates. A bumper sticker on the back said: My son can beat up your honor student.
I pegged that one as Hal’s car.
Another was a rental, with a Florida map and a bird-watching brochure sitting open on the front seat.
The third, a white pickup, was the only one parked in the shade. Squinting through the heat rising from the lot, I thought I recognized the black cowboy hat on the man in the driver’s seat. I quickly closed the distance to the truck.
Engrossed in a cell phone call, the driver was alone in the truck. He didn’t notice as I approached from the rear. The driver-side door was open.
“I told you I’m good for those cattle, Pete.’’ I could hear his half of the conversation. “How long have we known each other? All I’m asking for is a little more time.’’
It sounded like Jeb Ennis’ business troubles had taken a turn for the worse.
Silently, he listened to whatever Pete was saying on the other end of the line. Then he shook his head and looked like he was ready to start arguing, until he caught me from the corner of his eye. “Listen, I’m going to have to call you back, Pete.’’ He paused. “If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it. I’ve got someone here just now.’’
He cut off the call and slipped the phone into his top pocket. His face was shiny with sweat.
“Kind of warm to be out here sitting in your truck, isn’t it?’’
“Hey, Mace. I just pulled up a little while ago. I was headed to the office to see you when my phone rang.’’ He swung his long legs out the door and stood on the asphalt lot. When he turned and leaned in the back to grab something from the truck’s cab, I saw his shirt was soaking wet and stuck to his back.
“You look like you’ve just chased a coonhound through the woods, Jeb.’’
When he straightened, he was holding a bouquet of daisies.
“Yeah, I’m sweatin’ buckets.’’ He looked embarrassed. “The AC’s out in my truck. Never happens in December, does it? It feels like a sauna in there.’’
He held out the flowers. “Anyway, these are for you. I figured I owed you an apology for being so rude at the diner. Your mama must have heard an earful after I left.’’
As I took the flowers, our hands brushed. His fingers were strong, work-callused. I fought myself over the little shiver of desire I felt.
“Daisies are your favorite, right? I remembered.’’
I couldn’t even think of the last time a man had given me flowers. I smiled my thanks. That didn’t mean I wasn’t still suspicious.
“So, you just drove up.’’ I took a couple of steps to the front of the truck and put my hand on the hood. The metal was as hot as Hades. The engine still ticked. “I had an interesting experience a little earlier this morning.’’
He raised his brows in a question.
“I felt like something was watching me from the woods by the alligator pond. Then, I heard something big coming at me through the brush.”
Jeb’s face lit up. “Was it a black bear? Remember that time we spotted that cute little cub over in Highlands County? And then its mama came on the scene, and she didn’t look near as cute.’’
I laughed. “I remember you were just as scared as me, and I almost peed my pants.’’
He looked at me, and the golden flecks in his eyes shone. “We had some good times in those days, didn’t we, Mace?’’
“Some real good times,’’ I agreed. “And a few bad.’’
He took off his hat and shifted his eyes to the ground. He ran a hand through his hair, which curled in sweaty clumps. Then he looked up at me again. “Do you think we could talk somewhere, Mace?’’
“We can. But first I have to ask you something. You wouldn’t have had any reason to be running around in the woods out here this morning, would you?’’
He cocked his head “Mace, it’s hotter than a pepper patch. The mosquitoes are as big as B-52 bombers. I can think of about twenty places off the top of my head that I’d rather be than in the woods. And that would include sitting in the chair at my dentist’s office. I told you, I just got here. The only reason I came at all is to apologize to you.’’
He slapped at his neck, then flicked a dead mosquito from his palm.
I glanced into the trees surrounding the parking lot. Nothing but the insects stirred.
“It’s just that I had a …’’
My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out how, without sounding weak or crazy, to explain what I’d had. The sense of threat. The paralyzing fear. After all, it was just some rustling in the brush.
“You know what, Jeb? It’s no big deal.’’ I held up the flowers. “Let’s head to the office, where I can get these in some water. We can sit out on a bench in the breezeway. At least there’s shade, and ceiling fans to keep us cool.’’
He put his hat back on. “Give me a minute to throw something over the feed I’ve got in the truck. I don’t want it to get wet if it rains.’’
I stepped aside to let him get to the truck’s bed. I took the opportunity to admire the view as Jeb leaned over to secure a tarp. His sweaty shirt was tucked tautly into his narrow waist. The W’s on the back pockets of his Wrangler jeans lay just right. My eyes traveled all the way from his well-shaped rear, down his legs, to the heels of his dusty cowboy boots.
That’s when I noticed something small clinging to the bottom of his pants leg. In the back, where it’d be hard to see, a burr from the woods’ brushy undergrowth was stuck to the fabric of Jeb’s boot-cut jeans.
“What the hell is this?’’ I leaned over and plucked the burr from Jeb’s pant leg. Pinching it between my thumb and forefinger, I thrust it inches from his face.