Calumet, page 10
the table. That’ll give you a chance to talk about how crazy
we are.”
“Just remember that it’s a good defense in court should
something tragic happen to you, and I’m somehow blamed,”
her father said as he put his arm around her mom. “Not that
anything tragic will happen to you.” His words didn’t match
his expression.
“Yes, sir,” Jaxon said, smiling.
Margot doubted her father would ever stop teasing Jaxon,
but it was good that her lover took it in stride and was able
to joke about the possibility of death. “Let’s go, baby, and
you two stay in here.”
“Jaxon, don’t think of fooling around in my house,” her
father said. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
“Yes, sir.” Jaxon’s arm flexed, and Margot stared back at
her in warning. “We’re just setting the table. Fooling around
is not on the menu.”
“Speak for yourself,” Margot whispered in her ear.
“Talking about how crazy we are isn’t on the menu
either,” her mother said, holding her spoon like a sword.
“Setting the table won’t give us enough time to delve
into the first layer of that conversation,” Jaxon said, and her
mother laughed.
“Ain’t that the truth, but you have five minutes before the
squirrels in the pot will be done.” Her mom pointed behind
her to the stove, teasing about her Tennessee upbringing.
“I promise we’ll figure out where all the forks go before
you’re finished.” The gift of finding Margot was not only her
beautiful soul, but her family. There was common ground
between them since they were from the South as well, but
they hadn’t treated their daughter as a means of social
climbing. They’d loved and nurtured her into the gorgeous
woman Margot was in more than just her looks. That they’d
accepted Jaxon gave her back a sliver of what she’d missed
for so long. It was more than she thought she’d ever have.
* * *
“Have you missed me?” Daniel Gravois asked when he
came in and dropped his cap on the table. Iris had talked to
him about that for years, but it was a habit he obviously
didn’t want to break.
He’d been working nights for two weeks, which meant he
slept most of the day, and if she was honest, she didn’t
mind since it kept them from talking about the reunion.
Admitting that to him was a sure way to get into another
argument, and she wasn’t in the mood. The kids were still
upstairs getting ready for school, so she nodded and poured
him a cup of coffee.
“Are you going to be on the night shift much longer?” She
sat across from him and made an effort to smile. It wasn’t
him per se that accounted for her mood as much as it was
how tired she was.
“One more week and it’s back to my regular hours. After
all the years I’ve put in, the sheriff should’ve picked
someone else to cover for Jones. If the idiot knew how to
drive, he wouldn’t have needed to take all this time off to
recover from an accident.” If Daniel had one talent left, it
was complaining.
“I thought he was sitting on the side of the road watching
for speeders.” She tried to remember the details, but she
was pretty sure the deputy had been parked, and someone
had slammed into him.
“He was, but parking on that curve was asking for
trouble. He’s going to be out another month, but someone
else is taking over for him.” Daniel leaned forward and slid
his hand along the table and turned it palm side up.
She put her hand in his and thought about the years
they’d spent together. Overall, Daniel wasn’t a bad person,
but he wasn’t the grand love affair she’d wanted in her life.
Leaving him wasn’t something she’d ever thought about,
though, since he was a good husband and father. They’d
had their troubles, but nothing that rose to divorce. That act
of freedom would really get the rumors going, and he’d be
the martyr in that scenario. She’d have nowhere to turn.
“Maybe this weekend we can go out to eat before I have
to report for duty,” he said.
“I’d love to,” she said, liking that he was trying. “They
opened a new Mexican place close to the post office.”
“That sounds good. What have you been up to every
night? I drove by last night, and your car was gone.”
“I had dinner with Nancy while the kids were out with
friends. We got roped into the reunion committee again.
Make sure the sheriff gives you the night off.” She got up to
finish making breakfast. “Think that guy in dispatch would
mind being our DJ for the night? There’s no way we can
afford a band.”
“It’s that time already?” Daniel didn’t sound thrilled with
the news.
Reunions had a way of reminding people of all the things
that could’ve been, and all the things that had never
become a reality. All those dreams and aspirations you had
when you finished school served as a reminder that you
weren’t the success you thought you’d be. In Daniel’s case,
it was a reminder of his time on the field and being adored
by everyone on campus. Now he was just a small-town cop
among other small-town cops.
“Honey, I put it on your calendar. Maybe you should plan
something with all the guys before that night. I’m sure
they’d love to get together.” She put a plate of eggs in front
of him, and he nodded as he flipped through the mail.
“What’s this?” He held it up like it was some obscene
thing their daughter had ordered.
The letter was for Sean, and Iris had forgotten to take it
out of the stack and put it on Sean’s desk. Because Sean’s
birthday fell after the registration cutoff, the school hadn’t
let her start until she turned six. Their daughter was gifted,
though, and had skipped ahead a year, so she was now a
junior, planning for college. Part of that plan was to go
somewhere that was miles away from here.
“It’s only her junior year, but the guidance counselor told
her to start applying. The sooner she starts, the easier it is
to figure out what scholarships she can qualify for.” She
stacked toast on a plate and put it in the center of the table.
“California? There are perfectly good schools here.” He
kept staring at the envelope like he needed to attack it. “Is
this your idea? Don’t I get a say?”
“Daniel, I’m trying to talk her into staying at least a year.
She won’t be quite seventeen when she graduates, and
that’s too young to be on your own, but I don’t want to hold
her back, either. She has a right to chase her dreams.” She
softened her voice, hoping he’d calm down.
“At that age we can force her to stay here.” He tossed
the letter away from him and scowled. “And California is
out.”
“Then I’ll take out a loan and go. I’m not staying here,”
Sean said, coming in from outside.
“Where were you?” Iris glanced from the stairs to the
door.
“I went for a walk around the block and tried to clear my
head for my test today. I also don’t want to fight about this
for the next two years. There’s no way I’m staying.” Sean
strung together more words than Iris had heard her say in
months.
“I’m your father, and I don’t want to fight about it either,
but I’d also like to be involved in what you decide.” Daniel’s
voice rose enough that Sean left the room. He stared at the
door and then at her. “What?”
“Nothing, but you might want to start listening to her.
Sean’s having a hard time lately, and I’ve been trying to
reach her. I’ve accepted that she’ll tell me what’s going on
in her own time. Pushing her and demanding things of her
isn’t the way to go.”
“I can’t have an opinion in my own house?”
Danny came down the stairs like he was dragging
bowling balls behind him and slapped hands with Daniel
before kissing her cheek. “Hey, Dad, you’re home early.”
“I wanted to see you guys,” Daniel said, his eyes still on
her.
“To answer your question, yes, you can. Don’t be
shocked, though, that people are old enough to have their
own opinions as well.” She took her coffee cup and headed
back to their room. The fact that Sean wanted out of here
bothered her as well, but she was trying her best.
The main thing, baby, is not to be afraid, she thought,
staring down at Sean sitting on the rope swing in the front
yard. Sean deserved to have the life she wanted and never
look back. She heard Daniel come in and step up behind
her, staring out at Sean as well.
“What’s her problem lately? She hardly says anything,
and when she does, she sounds like one of the punks I have
to deal with on the job. Is she into something I should know
about?”
“Sean’s a good kid, and she’ll be fine. We gave her a
good foundation, and she knows we’ll both be there for her.
Call it growing pains.”
“Why does she want to leave so bad?” Daniel was three
years older than her, but at times his immaturity reminded
her of a six-year-old.
“Because of the mistakes of her mother. It’s got nothing
to do with you.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jaxon didn’t glance behind her, not wanting to give up her
advantage as she raced down the trail. Wilber wasn’t that
far behind her and wasn’t even breathing hard, which was
aggravating. She was sweating as she ran down the incline
to the beach, glad to see there weren’t that many people
out this early in the morning.
They’d decided on Half Moon Bay and had flown instead
of taking the nine-hour drive down so they could enjoy all
the time Margot had off. The Ritz-Carlton right on the coast
was nice, and even Wilber had thanked her for making all
the arrangements. They hadn’t done a lot of hiking, but
every morning Wilber challenged her to a race where the
loser had to buy breakfast.
She was in good shape, but Wilber defied age in the way
he could push himself. Their finish line was coming up, and
she dug deeper to make it across before him. Once he lost,
he rested his hands on his knees and whipped his head to
clear the sweat from his eyes. She was walking in a circle
trying to keep her muscles loose and plucked her soaked
shirt away from her skin.
“You’re getting soft, Professor.” Wilber straightened out
and kicked his shoes off. They were over a mile away from
the resort, but the walk along the beach was nice. “You
should’ve beat me by a mile.”
“Maybe I was trying to make you feel better about
yourself.”
“Fuck that. Remember, not everyone gets a trophy, and
the sooner you learn that, the happier you’ll be.” He started
for the water and stopped when a wave came in and made
his feet sink in the sand. “Now that you’ve done your
sweating for the day, tell me what the hell is wrong with
you?”
“Sir?” She stood next to him, enjoying the shock of cold
that raced over her feet. “Wrong with me?”
“When my wife spends most of the night wondering
what’s on your mind because my little girl talked to her, it
upsets me.” He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed
hard enough for her to grit her teeth a little. “So…what the
hell is wrong with you? I would think you’re smart enough to
know by now that I don’t like my little girl upset.”
“It’s nothing to do with Margot, sir. There’s something on
my mind, and I’ve put off telling her, but I’ll do that today.”
He applied more pressure. “You’re not fixing to really
upset my baby, are you?”
“No, nothing like that. I promise it’s nothing bad, but
would you mind if I talked to Margot first? After that she can
tell Patty Sue, then she’ll tell you. We’ll compare notes after
and see how much the original story changes.” She moved
to start walking if only to save herself the bruise she was
sure she’d have on her shoulder. He finally let go.
“If you need to practice, you can tell me over the
breakfast you’re buying me.”
“I won, so you pay. That’s the deal.” She tied her laces
together and threw her shoes over her shoulder.
“You held back because you think I’m an old man, and
that makes you a loser. Losers pay for breakfast. I’ll make
sure to order two large milks. You haven’t forgotten that
talk, have you?” Wilber gave her his I’ll mess you up
expression.
“Not one word, not to worry.”
“Did you share anything I said with Margot?” His hand
came up again, but this time he pointed at her.
“I’d never do that.” She hoped she sounded as indignant
as she felt. “I gave you my word.”
“Calm down, bookworm. I like to check on you every so
often, but I don’t doubt your integrity. I also want my kid to
smile on her vacation and not be worrying about what’s
going on in your head.”
“I promise, and if you’ll take a rain check, I’ll talk to
Margot this morning.” They started up the slope, and Wilber
slapped her on the back. “And I promise you won’t be
hearing about it later from Patty Sue.”
Wilber laughed, and she thought it was the first time
she’d ever heard him let go like that. “I’m beginning to see
you’re a lot smarter than I gave you credit for.”
Margot was still sleeping when she quietly opened the
door, so she headed for the shower. Her morning runs
usually weren’t quite so intense, but she was enjoying the
workouts that were probably tame compared to Wilber’s old
military days. She put her head under the rain shower and
scrubbed the salt off her face.
“I thought you’d never get back,” Margot said when she
put her arms around her waist.
If there was one sight she’d never tire of, it was Margot
naked and wet standing before her. “I was picking flowers
with your father. You don’t want me to cut those bonding
times short, do you?” She dropped to her knees when
Margot pushed down on her shoulders.
Margot smiled when she moved her hands up from the
backs of her knees to her ass. “Thank you for humoring him,
my love.” Margot spread her legs when she brought her
head forward and bit the skin right under her navel gently.
“What are you up to?”
“If you need to guess, I’ve been doing something wrong,”
she said, chuckling. She moved so Margot could rest her
back against the shower wall. The way Margot ran her
hands through her hair was distracting but not enough to
keep her from what she wanted. She spread Margot’s sex
open and smiled before she put her tongue on her clit.
“I might invite Daddy to run with you every morning if
this is the result,” Margot said, pulling her hair.
She changed tack and sucked Margot in, loving the taste
of her. Margot responded by lifting her leg over her
shoulder, and she sucked harder as she entered her fast and
hard. If there was one thing she wanted to do well in this
life, it was to please Margot. She’d been the one person in
her life who’d kept her promises and had loved her with the
kind of devotion that had healed the raw parts of her soul.
“Oh, baby, like that,” Margot said when she curled her
fingers. “Harder.” She locked her body when Margot’s
weight came down on her shoulder, but she didn’t stop.
“Fuck me,” Margot said loudly. “Yes, yes…yes,” Margot said,
lengthening the last word.
She kept up the fast, hard pace and felt Margot’s moans
through her chest. The way Margot was thrusting her hips
was a sign she was close. “Give me what I want, baby,” she
said before putting her mouth back on her clit.
“Jesus,” Margot said as her hips sped up. “Don’t stop,
don’t stop…oh fuck,” she said as she slowly stopped moving
and pulled Jaxon’s hair. “Get up here.”
“I love you,” she said when she stood and put her arms
around Margot. The press of her skin made her close her
eyes and concentrate on the moment. “And let me finish in
