escort to go further out on the property, you just snag one of them. It’s not safe to be out too far by yourself, especially since you’re not familiar with the land.” She smiles down the table at Micah and Deacon, giving them an altogether different smile. One that says, you’ll do as I say or else . It makes me laugh, but they both smile back and say, “Yes, ma’am,” like the good boys they are.
Yeah, right.
Once again, I’m reminded of what Travis told me the first day. If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
As we’re all walking out of the restaurant, deciding who’s riding with whom, Deacon groans. “Ugh, my body is exhausted from all this digestin’. It’s workin’ overtime. I’ve gotta go take a nap.” He rubs his stomach and yawns. “Dani, will I see you again?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be here a few more days.”
“Okay, cool. Maybe you could stick around for Micah’s big birthday shindig. Now that’d be somethin’ to put in your article.” He winks at me as he gets into his Jeep.
That’s actually not a bad idea. “I might take you up on that,” I tell him, waving as I follow Micah to his truck.
“A big birthday shindig, huh?” I ask Micah.
“Yeah, my mama is always makin’ a big deal outta birthdays. You can’t tame her. She’s a beast when it comes to throwin’ parties.” He laughs, shaking his head. “But it would be pretty cool if you could stick around for the party.” His eyes meet mine.
I nod and smile, trying to tamp down my excitement. “We’ll see.”
Micah and I climb into his truck and he starts it up, but we just sit in the parking lot for a few moments in comfortable silence.
“You’re not what I was expecting, Chuck.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Oh yeah? What were you expecting?”
He shrugs before giving me a shy smile. “I don’t know . . . someone snooty and prissy, I guess. But that’s not you. At least, not that I can see.”
“You think you’ve got me all figured out?”
Barking out a laugh, he replies, “No, not at all. Just makin’ an observation.”
His eyes are a little too focused on me and the air inside his truck is a little too thin. I clear my throat and face forward, causing Micah to take the hint to put the truck in drive.
Once my heart has slowed to a normal rate, I decide to try to have a normal conversation while learning more about Micah at the same time.
“So, what was it like growing up on a plantation?”
“It’s just a house, Dani.”
“A very large house,” I counter.
“True, and it’s special to me because it’s been in my family for so long, but I wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth, if that’s what you’re wonderin’. The Landrys are no better than anyone else. Believe me, my mama would’ve tanned our hides if we ever tried to act like we were—”
“Snooty or prissy?”
Micah throws his head back and laughs, and I’m mesmerized by the way his Adam’s apple bobs up and down.
“Touché, Ms. Reed.”
The truck comes to a stop at Pockets, and before I realize what’s happening, Micah is outside, opening my door for me. I murmur an awkward, “Thank you,” as he helps me out. He just shakes his head at me.
“No matter what you think of me, Dani, I do know how to treat a lady.”
I want to say something snarky, but I choose to be honest instead. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Micah. I guess I’m not used to chivalry.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame.”
I don’t disagree, but I also don’t respond as I unlock my rental car.
“Hey, Chuck, want me to show you around the grounds tomorrow?”
I look up at Micah as I contemplate his question, his eyes full of mischief and excitement. I should say no, but, “Sure,” slips out before I can catch it.
“Well, all right then. I’ll see you for breakfast at the house.”
I watch as he pulls himself up into his monster truck and motions for me to drive off first. I want to analyze every word we said to each
Yeah, right.
Once again, I’m reminded of what Travis told me the first day. If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
As we’re all walking out of the restaurant, deciding who’s riding with whom, Deacon groans. “Ugh, my body is exhausted from all this digestin’. It’s workin’ overtime. I’ve gotta go take a nap.” He rubs his stomach and yawns. “Dani, will I see you again?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be here a few more days.”
“Okay, cool. Maybe you could stick around for Micah’s big birthday shindig. Now that’d be somethin’ to put in your article.” He winks at me as he gets into his Jeep.
That’s actually not a bad idea. “I might take you up on that,” I tell him, waving as I follow Micah to his truck.
“A big birthday shindig, huh?” I ask Micah.
“Yeah, my mama is always makin’ a big deal outta birthdays. You can’t tame her. She’s a beast when it comes to throwin’ parties.” He laughs, shaking his head. “But it would be pretty cool if you could stick around for the party.” His eyes meet mine.
I nod and smile, trying to tamp down my excitement. “We’ll see.”
Micah and I climb into his truck and he starts it up, but we just sit in the parking lot for a few moments in comfortable silence.
“You’re not what I was expecting, Chuck.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Oh yeah? What were you expecting?”
He shrugs before giving me a shy smile. “I don’t know . . . someone snooty and prissy, I guess. But that’s not you. At least, not that I can see.”
“You think you’ve got me all figured out?”
Barking out a laugh, he replies, “No, not at all. Just makin’ an observation.”
His eyes are a little too focused on me and the air inside his truck is a little too thin. I clear my throat and face forward, causing Micah to take the hint to put the truck in drive.
Once my heart has slowed to a normal rate, I decide to try to have a normal conversation while learning more about Micah at the same time.
“So, what was it like growing up on a plantation?”
“It’s just a house, Dani.”
“A very large house,” I counter.
“True, and it’s special to me because it’s been in my family for so long, but I wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth, if that’s what you’re wonderin’. The Landrys are no better than anyone else. Believe me, my mama would’ve tanned our hides if we ever tried to act like we were—”
“Snooty or prissy?”
Micah throws his head back and laughs, and I’m mesmerized by the way his Adam’s apple bobs up and down.
“Touché, Ms. Reed.”
The truck comes to a stop at Pockets, and before I realize what’s happening, Micah is outside, opening my door for me. I murmur an awkward, “Thank you,” as he helps me out. He just shakes his head at me.
“No matter what you think of me, Dani, I do know how to treat a lady.”
I want to say something snarky, but I choose to be honest instead. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Micah. I guess I’m not used to chivalry.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame.”
I don’t disagree, but I also don’t respond as I unlock my rental car.
“Hey, Chuck, want me to show you around the grounds tomorrow?”
I look up at Micah as I contemplate his question, his eyes full of mischief and excitement. I should say no, but, “Sure,” slips out before I can catch it.
“Well, all right then. I’ll see you for breakfast at the house.”
I watch as he pulls himself up into his monster truck and motions for me to drive off first. I want to analyze every word we said to each
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