SomedayMyGoodOleBoyWillCome Read online

Page 8


  As he disappeared down the steps she turned her gaze back to Jenkins. “Perhaps you should just fill out whatever forms need to be filled out so we can be on our way.”

  The moment they walked in the room, she put a smile on her face. “Should’ve known y’all would try to get out of your chores. Come on, we got work to do. Bubba, tomorrow at one. Jenkins.” She spun around and walked to the door leaving the cousins to follow

  As soon as they walked out into the sun Derek spoke. “What are you doing here?”

  “Bailing you out of jail. Let’s go.”

  “Two thousand dollars? We don’t have that kind of money.”

  “I know.” That was it. That was all she said. “Y’all should CB home. Aunt Ro is worried about you. See you back at the farm.” She hopped into her car and roared off. I can’t do this. Derek is too present on my mind. I can’t stay there anymore.

  As her car ate up the miles, Jacey placed a call. “Hello, Thompson residence.” The familiar sound made her smile.

  “Hi, Papa.”

  “Jace, how are things?”

  “All right. I’m going to open up the house. Is that alright with you?”

  “Something happen that you feel the need to leave the Moser residence?”

  Jacey could just picture her father—head cocked to the side, eyes narrowed with concern as he tried to analyze the problem that plagued his daughter. He would be leaning against the staircase chewing on a toothpick.

  “No, sir, I just think it would be easier all around. There is something going on here that screams corruption. That, and I seem to be making some people angry just by being near the Moser boys.”

  “Boys? Or just Derek?”

  Why bother trying to lie to him? “Derek. He and Shelby are a couple and all of a sudden she is coming after me. Slandering what I do in the Corps.”

  “Listen to yourself, Jace, since when did you give a damn what people thought of you in the Corps? Most people don’t know the truth anyway.”

  It was an automatic response that slipped from her mouth, “Don’t swear. Now you owe the jar a dollar.”

  He chuckled. “I know all about you and Derek. All about. He deserves to know he has a son. But, if you feel that you need to hide for a bit, go ahead use the house. I won’t say any more about it.”

  He didn’t have to. Jacey could hear the disappointment in her father’s voice, and he believed that she should tell him.

  “Papa, how did you know?”

  “That’s a moot point. Now tell me about this corruption thing that you are hinting at. Is Jenkins still sheriff?”

  “Yes, sir, he arrested the boys today for no reason that I can find, and their bail was two thousand dollars. Papa, they would have struggled to pay a hundred-dollar bail. This place is like it was stuck back in the seventies.”

  Her brain was working overtime as her mind, which had been taught to analyze terrorist mindsets, focused on the events occurring down here in Leeburg.

  “Then there’s the guy that Honey is engaged to. I don’t like him, he is from a contracting family, lots of money, and the Moser land is prime. I am going to make some calls on him.”

  “Okay. I will do some checking also. Listen to me, little girl.” Jacey had to smile—she was over thirty and her father still called her a little girl. “You are there to support your friend. You’re on vacation. So enjoy yourself, enjoy your old crush. I will see you in a week, we will come early as well. Someone out here misses you something terrible. Take care, baby girl. Love you.” Just like that he was gone.

  Jacey pulled into the drive of the Moser Farm. He had known, all this time her father had known. Known that Derek Moser was Caleb’s father. Known about her crush on him. It shouldn’t surprise her, but it did. For some reason she became angry at her father. If he had known that meant he had known long before she did. He could have told her.

  Carson pulled in behind her, followed shortly by Derek. The three of them walked into the farmhouse together.

  “Did you escape?” was Uncle Frank’s first question after he hugged his boys.

  “No, sir. Jacey bailed us out.”

  Three pairs of eyes swung to her face. She held up her hand in a gesture that Derek recognized as quiet. “Please, don’t say anything. I can’t let Jenkins get away with something so ridiculous.”

  “Thank you,” Aunt Ro said. “Thank you for bringing my family back to me.”

  “Always a pleasure. Now, I believe that we had some work to do, so I am going to change and then help the guys with the fence.” She had some anger to work off.

  The three of them set out to work on the fence down in the bottom forty. They had Uncle Frank’s truck with them to hold the posts and wire. Derek drove, Jacey was in the middle, and Carson was by the door.

  “So tell me, Jacey, why does Derek call you princess?” Carson asked.

  “Because he wants to. I don’t know, Carson, you would have to ask him.”

  Derek tensed beside her.

  “Derek?”

  “Is this really necessary, Carson?” Derek took his eyes off the barely visible path they were on to glare over her at his cousin.

  “Yes. I saw her before you and damn if the first night I don’t see y’all locking lips out by the barn. What the hell is going on, I thought you were dating Shelby?” She heard the anger in Carson’s voice.

  “What I do is none of your business, Carson. Got that?”

  “No, I don’t. You don’t get to have two women, Derek.”

  * * * *

  “Derek, look out!” she screamed. Jacey braced herself as Derek barely managed to avoid a huge tree. “That’s it. Stop this truck. Now!”

  Jesus, she had survived hundreds of missions into enemy territory and now she was going to die because two cousins were having an argument.

  Derek did as she ordered, slamming on the brakes so hard it felt like her head was going to snap off. They were at their destination anyway. Jacey practically climbed over Carson to get out of the truck. She was furious and the two men were around to get her wrath.

  “What the hell is wrong with you two? What kind of driving is that?”

  “My life is just that, Carson, mine.” Derek focused on his cousin, ignoring her.

  “Not when it involves something I might want.” Carson’s brown eyes had hardened.

  Jacey couldn’t believe this. She’d almost smashed into a tree and here they were strutting around like two cocks about to fight. They had begun to circle each other, sizing each other up, when Jacey made a decision.

  Placing two fingers in her mouth, Jacey let loose a shrill whistle.

  “Enough!” Her voice rang loud and firm, getting her the response she wanted. Silence from them both.

  Derek and Carson stopped in their tracks and looked at her in shock.

  “Look at yourselves. You’re family. Why in the hell would you act like this with one another?” Jacey couldn’t believe this.

  “Well he…” Derek began.

  “I was just…” Carson tried.

  “Know what? I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care. Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves. First of all, I don’t like being talked about as if I wasn’t even around, not that it matters. I am here for one thing. Honey’s wedding.” She shook her head when they tried to say something.

  “No, you listen. I’m going to do the talking. Carson, Derek, I have told you both that I wasn’t interested in a relationship. I don’t know what is going on down here but I do know that when Caleb comes down I don’t want any of this to affect him. I want all of us to get along.”

  Derek’s eyes narrowed to little slits at that. A motion that didn’t go unnoticed by her. She addressed his reaction. “I ain’t kiddin’, Derek. None of this will touch him, are we clear on that?” She waited until she had received nods from them both before continuing. “I’m sorry that my presence has caused you both so much disruption.”

  She shoved her hands in her pockets. “Carson, I’m s
orry but I’m not interested in a relationship with you. I love you, but only like a brother. And Derek, for all intents and purposes, you are in a relationship with Shelby. I’ll do nothing to upset that.

  “So, I’ll be leaving the Moser Farm and moving into my old home. That way it will be opened up and ready for my parents and Caleb when they come next week, and I won’t be any cause for problems between you.”

  “I’m sorry,” they said at the same time.

  “You don’t need to leave the farm,” Derek said.

  “It’s for the best that I do, Derek, and you know why. I’ll still be around for meals and to help around the farm. Now come on, we have work to do.”

  The cousins hugged and apologized to each other and then they all got to work. Carson dug the holes, Jacey held the posts, and Derek filled them in. Then they switched around.

  As they were working along, Derek asked, “So, Jacey, where are you living now?”

  “I am staying with my parents and Caleb right now, in Washington.”

  He stared at the sweat that dripped down her face—even that couldn’t take away from his attraction to her. “You live with Caleb?” The words slipped free, low and dangerous.

  He’d set his sights on Jacey and wasn’t about to let her go without one hell of a serious fight.

  “Yes. I don’t have a place of my own, since I go where the Marine Corps sends me. What about you two, why did y’all come back to Leeburg?”

  They talked about neutral things while they worked, although Derek wanted to ask her more questions about Caleb. Like, why was he living with her parents? Was he really supposed to act like a big happy family when she had a man all over her? Especially since she knew how he felt.

  A few hours passed and the CB crackled. “Lunch is just about ready, so come back and get it.” Aunt Ro’s voice came over the air.

  Jacey grabbed the handset and answered back. “Read you loud and clear, Auntie Ro. Be right there. I’m gone.” With a head toss to the boys, she climbed into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go.”

  He shook his head at her gumption. She drove like she knew how to handle just about any terrain. The road would have been nigh impossible for anyone to follow, but Derek knew that she had been paying attention to where he had driven on the way in. The truck whipped into the farmyard and shut off.

  As they were climbing out Jacey stopped them. “Why don’t y’all go in the back and get cleaned up before you come to the table?”

  With a nod Derek pushed Carson ahead of him. They were much dirtier than she was and Auntie Ro was fanatical about her kitchen floor.

  Chapter Ten

  Jacey walked through the door alone. With a smile she nodded at all present, including David, who talked to Honey by the fridge. “Hello, David, good to see you again.”

  “Ms. Thompson.” He nodded at her.

  “Please, call me Jacey.” She inhaled and looked at Aurora, saying, “Smells wonderful.”

  David turned to Honey and helped her to her place at the table. “I’m sorry about what happened, Honey.”

  “What are you talking about, David?” his fiancée asked as she took her seat.

  Jacey watched David’s face carefully as she too sat down.

  “Why…” He broke off as the two younger Moser men walked in the room.

  “Hello, David,” Carson said as he kissed his aunt on the head before pulling out his chair.

  “You seem surprised to see us, David,” Derek made that comment as he dragged an extra chair up to the table and put it beside Jacey.

  “Well…yes…I mean…no. I had heard that you had been arrested.” David looked very uncomfortable.

  Derek flashed him a grin. “We were, but Jacey here—” he slung his arm over the back of her chair and scooted even closer to her— “bailed us out.”

  “Wow. That’s really nice of you, Jacey. I heard that the bail was set really high.” David tried for a grin, and failed.

  “Oh, Jacey is just full of surprises. But that is why we love her so.”

  Derek placed a loud smacking kiss on the side of her face. It was over exaggerated for everyone watching, but for Jacey it was three seconds of hell. Hell because she couldn’t pursue his lips with her own.

  “We owe her so much.” Before she was able to shrug away from him he whispered in her ear, “Isn’t it time you stop running from your destiny, princess?”

  Jacey’s insides were a quivering mass. She had to get away from him. Her ability to control her raging, wanton lust was failing. Miserably. She wanted this man so bad, she could taste it. Every time he looked at her, spoke around her, she could feel herself weakening.

  “Well, glad it all worked out. I was going to offer my assistance,” David added.

  I just bet you were, you slimy bastard.

  “We got it covered. Let’s eat,” Derek said easily.

  They all dug into the meal of corn on the cob, fried chicken, sweet tea, potato salad, coleslaw and lemon meringue pie for dessert.

  The meal was lighthearted and fun. Except for Jacey, she was in Tartarus. Derek kept his leg pressed against hers, allowing his arm to brush hers as often as possible. Her whole body was primed and ready to be loved by this man, and she could do nothing about it.

  “Uncle Frank, Auntie Ro, there is something I need to tell you. I spoke to my dad this morning and he, Mom, and Caleb are coming down early so I will be going over to the old homestead this afternoon and opening it up. I think it best that I stay there, I don’t wish to cause trouble and I think that my staying here will do that.”

  Both Uncle Frank and Aunt Ro began to protest. As did Honey. “You just got here. That place is no way ready for you to stay there.”

  “While you are getting it ready you will stay here. That is final,” Uncle Frank said.

  “Yes, sir.” Jacey couldn’t go against him. “Honey, don’t be mad. I don’t want to be in the way. Besides, once Caleb arrives you know he will want to be with me.”

  Derek grabbed her leg and squeezed.

  “I know, Jacey. I was just hoping that we would be able to spend some more time together,” Honey responded, almost desperate.

  “We will. I have some presents for you, so when you get back from your date tonight with David we’ll stay up late and have a girl session. Besides, it not like I’ll be that far away, and it will take some time for me to get it livable.” Actually the house was in better condition than some of the places she had slept in over the years, so it was doable.

  “Promise?”

  “Of course. I think you will like what I brought.” With a wink she added, “I know David will.”

  Honey blushed, causing everyone to laugh. Jacey looked around at the people she had missed for so long and smiled. It was good to be home.

  “What are you smiling about?” Derek’s soft question reached her.

  His hand was still caressing her leg and for the moment she was perfectly content. If only this could be forever. “Just thinking how good it is to be home again.”

  Jacey looked at him and smiled.

  “You are so beautiful.”

  David sat, avidly watching the interaction between them.

  “Derek,” Jacey hissed. “Be quiet.”

  “Uncle Frank,” Derek interrupted the conversation on the other side of the table.

  “Yes?”

  “I will be going with Jacey to open up her parents’ house. It could be dangerous since it has been locked up for so long.”

  Before Jacey could protest Uncle Frank agreed. “That is a brilliant idea. I don’t want to have to explain to Jacob that I allowed his only child to get hurt. Good, then that is settled. Carson, you and I will clean up so Jace and Derek, and Honey and David can get going.”

  “Yes, sir.” With only one glare at Derek, Carson did as he was told.

  Jacey rose soon after. “Lunch was wonderful, Auntie Ro. Oh my gosh, I almost forgot…I invited Bubba and Susie Parker out for the barbeque tomorrow along with their two
children.”

  “Oh wonderful. I haven’t seen them in a long time, not since those kids were in diapers. That was a wonderful idea, Jacey. What are they now…five and eight, I believe.” Auntie Ro pushed back from the table.

  Jacey gave her and Uncle Frank a kiss before heading out the door and to her car, Derek hot on her heels.

  She watched as Derek hopped over the side of the car into the passenger seat. Damn that man, everything he did evoked erotic images in her mind.

  “Let’s go, princess.” He set his sensual gaze on her, causing more synapses to go haywire.

  “What do you hope to gain by this, Derek?” she asked as she drove out of the driveway and headed up the road to her childhood home.

  “You need to realize that we belong together. That night in Atlanta should have told you that.”

  “I thought we had a truce going on here.”

  “That was before I knew Caleb was going to be staying with you when he came down here.”

  “Oh, Derek.” She sighed. Caleb is your son, he is not a threat to you. At least, not in the way you are thinking. “I can’t keep this up.”

  “Darlin’, I don’t have any problem keeping it up with you around.” He immediately held out his hands in surrender. “Sorry, I know I shouldn’t have said that. But it is the truth.”

  Jacey turned off the car once she parked and got out. Everything looked the same. And yet, at the same time, she was hesitant to go in. A strong hand grabbed onto hers and she latched on as if it were a lifeline.

  “Come on, Jace,” he spoke in hushed tones. “Let’s get you home.” Together, side-by-side, they walked up the walkway to the front door.

  It took both of them pushing on one half of the double doors to get it open. When they had succeeded Jacey walked in to the main part of the foyer and spun around. Dust covered everything. Even the sheets that covered the furniture that had been left behind.