used an old sail for a rug and an oyster bushel basket for a garbage can. The room even smelled like sea salt.
Before going to the Sapphire Crab to buy food for them, Henry had given her permission to call Pearl Point. Food. Didn’t he know she had no appetite when he was around? Mama had asked her to help coordinate Pearl’s baby shower, but that wasn’t the only reason she needed to speak to her brother’s wife, Rose. He confused her so much, she desperately needed to talk to another woman. Someone besides Mama.
As she dialed, her gaze drifted to the brass bed across the room. Then she stared at the kitchen table, picturing herself bent over it while Henry rubbed himself against her. She cursed the tingle of arousal in her core, betraying her pride.
It was a mistake and will never happen again.
She’d never forget those words. If she was prettier, he’d want her again and again the way Caleb wanted Pearl. He would also have faced her and showered her with kisses instead of humping her from behind. It was a wonder he hadn’t turned out the lights, too, so he wouldn’t have to look at her.
But he was right. It definitely would not happen again. Luckily, their relations were on a businesslike footing again. She and Mama needed the money, and she hated shucking oysters more than feeling used.
She dialed the number for Rose’s house and waited for the operator to connect her.
“Hello?”
Sadie winced. Her overprotective older brother was the last person she wanted to speak to right now.
“Hello, Leroy. Is Rose there? I need to talk to her about Pearl’s baby shower.”
“Don’t you have anything to say to your flesh and blood first?” His familiar, peppery voice coaxed a grin to her face.
“Sorry. How are things down there in Pearl Point?”
“Busy.” A tired but contented sigh gusted through the earpiece. “Seems I’m always building or repairing something around here.”
Had it been a year already since he’d moved to St. Mary’s County to help Caleb build the new Rockfield oyster plant?
“How’s Mama?” he asked.
“Fine. And Pearl?”
“Huge.” His chuckle died. “It’s late. Where are you calling from, anyway?”
Her lips froze, and her mind, tired from fixing Henry’s ledger, raced through an inventory of the town’s available telephones. Considering the late hour and the fact she wasn’t white, the list was pretty short.
“Uh, I’m still in Oyster Harbor. I had errands after work because of the baby shower.”
“What? You know I don’t like you rowing that boat at night.”
The thought of yesterday’s rough surf sent a pang of queasiness through her stomach.
“I can manage it. Will you get Rose? I’m anxious to go home.”
“How did Mama get back?” he demanded.
God, he was worse than their mother sometimes. “She rode with our neighbors. Now, can you please—”
“What’s wrong?”
She swallowed the curse rising to her lips. Why did he have to be so perceptive?
“I’m just tired. Where is Rose, anyway?”
“Wait. I heard a rumor that you got into trouble at work. Did you throw something?”
Sadie’s mouth dropped open. The news had spread to the next county?
“It was nothing. I might have tossed a few oysters at the weighman because he wouldn’t give me any credit for them.”
He whistled. “Holy hell. You didn’t get fired?”
“No, I got furloughed a week.”
“Then Henry Rockfield must be sweet on you.”
Her heart pounded. How did he know? He mustn’t know. No one must.
“Well, behave yourself, girl. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of the Klan.”
The memory of last year’s mob, dead set on hanging him, made her fingers tingle with shock all over again. It reminded her she needed to watch her step with Henry. Making him angry would not be a good idea. Between her volatile feelings for him and the racial tensions on the island, she earned every penny of the extra money. The actual business figuring was a breeze in
Before going to the Sapphire Crab to buy food for them, Henry had given her permission to call Pearl Point. Food. Didn’t he know she had no appetite when he was around? Mama had asked her to help coordinate Pearl’s baby shower, but that wasn’t the only reason she needed to speak to her brother’s wife, Rose. He confused her so much, she desperately needed to talk to another woman. Someone besides Mama.
As she dialed, her gaze drifted to the brass bed across the room. Then she stared at the kitchen table, picturing herself bent over it while Henry rubbed himself against her. She cursed the tingle of arousal in her core, betraying her pride.
It was a mistake and will never happen again.
She’d never forget those words. If she was prettier, he’d want her again and again the way Caleb wanted Pearl. He would also have faced her and showered her with kisses instead of humping her from behind. It was a wonder he hadn’t turned out the lights, too, so he wouldn’t have to look at her.
But he was right. It definitely would not happen again. Luckily, their relations were on a businesslike footing again. She and Mama needed the money, and she hated shucking oysters more than feeling used.
She dialed the number for Rose’s house and waited for the operator to connect her.
“Hello?”
Sadie winced. Her overprotective older brother was the last person she wanted to speak to right now.
“Hello, Leroy. Is Rose there? I need to talk to her about Pearl’s baby shower.”
“Don’t you have anything to say to your flesh and blood first?” His familiar, peppery voice coaxed a grin to her face.
“Sorry. How are things down there in Pearl Point?”
“Busy.” A tired but contented sigh gusted through the earpiece. “Seems I’m always building or repairing something around here.”
Had it been a year already since he’d moved to St. Mary’s County to help Caleb build the new Rockfield oyster plant?
“How’s Mama?” he asked.
“Fine. And Pearl?”
“Huge.” His chuckle died. “It’s late. Where are you calling from, anyway?”
Her lips froze, and her mind, tired from fixing Henry’s ledger, raced through an inventory of the town’s available telephones. Considering the late hour and the fact she wasn’t white, the list was pretty short.
“Uh, I’m still in Oyster Harbor. I had errands after work because of the baby shower.”
“What? You know I don’t like you rowing that boat at night.”
The thought of yesterday’s rough surf sent a pang of queasiness through her stomach.
“I can manage it. Will you get Rose? I’m anxious to go home.”
“How did Mama get back?” he demanded.
God, he was worse than their mother sometimes. “She rode with our neighbors. Now, can you please—”
“What’s wrong?”
She swallowed the curse rising to her lips. Why did he have to be so perceptive?
“I’m just tired. Where is Rose, anyway?”
“Wait. I heard a rumor that you got into trouble at work. Did you throw something?”
Sadie’s mouth dropped open. The news had spread to the next county?
“It was nothing. I might have tossed a few oysters at the weighman because he wouldn’t give me any credit for them.”
He whistled. “Holy hell. You didn’t get fired?”
“No, I got furloughed a week.”
“Then Henry Rockfield must be sweet on you.”
Her heart pounded. How did he know? He mustn’t know. No one must.
“Well, behave yourself, girl. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of the Klan.”
The memory of last year’s mob, dead set on hanging him, made her fingers tingle with shock all over again. It reminded her she needed to watch her step with Henry. Making him angry would not be a good idea. Between her volatile feelings for him and the racial tensions on the island, she earned every penny of the extra money. The actual business figuring was a breeze in
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