Chapter Six

They pulled into the ranch just after sunset. Jake parked the RV alongside the shop, planning to hook up the power and water first thing in the morning. The chore wouldn’t take long, but the sunlight would prevent him having to stumble around in the dark.

Lisa gathered up the trash and leftover food before following Jake outside. She was tired, like nothing she had ever felt before. All she really wanted to do was climb into bed and pass out in the soft, warm sheets.

He already had the pop-outs open and lights on when she met him inside. She drug her feet to the fridge and put the other half of her sandwich away before depositing the garbage in the can. The other things in the truck could wait until tomorrow for all she cared.

Her phone rang as soon as she sat down to pull her boots off. Lisa sighed and rubbed her face, annoyed at the noise and interruption to her plans for bed. Jake heard this and sat in his chair, wondering who could be calling at this hour.

“Hello?” Lisa asked.

“Hey, Lisa. This is Sheriff John Taylor here in Cow Creek.”

She laughed, covering the mouthpiece. “Hi Sheriff. What’s up?”

“Hey, I’m gonna need you to visit me at my office tomorrow,” he said. His voice was low, almost sorrowful.

Lisa sat up, resting her elbows on her knees. “Is something wrong? What’s happened?”

She looked at Jake, giving him a worried look. He leaned over to her holding his hand out, motioning for the phone. She shook her head, listening carefully to every word the sheriff said.

“It’s alright, Lisa. Nothing about your parents - well not exactly - nothin’ important.”

She wanted him to spit it out and get to the damn point of the call. Yeah, see him tomorrow, but why?

“Sheriff, can you just tell me what’s going on? I’m beginning to freak out here,” she said. Her voice shook, but she did her best to hold it back. “Am I in some kind of trouble?”

Jake moved to sit next to her, resting a hand on her back. She had gone slightly pale, and Jake worried that she’d slip into one of her silent moods. He ran his hand up and down her back, hoping that his presence would keep her afloat.

Sheriff John growled into the phone. “I aint s’posed to tell you over the phone. It really ain’t awful, sweetheart. Most I can say is there’s more good than bad.”

“Dammit, Sheriff!” Lisa hissed. “You call late and give me news like this, then say you can’t tell me?” She rested her forehead on her hand. “Do my parents want me back suddenly?”

Jake’s hand stopped rubbing her back and glared at the phone.

“Better not,” he growled.

Lisa shook her head at him, not seeing the anger in his eyes.

“I swear it ain’t awful. It’s Just - ah hell. I’ll be down there in 30,” he said. The phone clicked on the other end, going silent.

Lisa flipped hers shut, holding it in her hand as she stared at the floor. Jake's hand still roamed across her back, reminding her she wasn’t alone. The sensations it caused helped her relax, keeping her in the present.

“So?” Jake asked. His deep, calm voice hit her ears, shaking her from her thoughts.

“He’s coming over,” she said. “It isn’t bad, I guess.”

Jake didn’t know what exactly she was talking about, and he didn’t want to push it. Anything to keep Lisa from sinking back into her mind was goal number one. Besides, If John was coming over, he could sort it all out.

“Alright, that makes sense,” he mused. “I don’t reckon he meant to upset you, Hunny.”

Lisa sat up, searching his eyes. “That’s the third time you called me that,” she said. “Why?”

Jake froze and looked away. “I - uh, huh.” he said. He removed his hand from her back to rub his neck. “I hadn’t really noticed.”

She continued to watch him, leaning out, away from the couch to catch his eye. Of course she loved it, but wanted to know why he started calling her ‘Honey.’

“You didn’t notice?” she asked. “You said to take things slow,” she reminded him.

He gave her an accusing look. “Says my girlfriend?”

Lisa could not hold the smile back. “Well, I had to tell Becca that. She was gonna drool all over you while standing on my face if I didn’t put her in her place!”

“Put her in her place?” He exclaimed. “You were smiling at her. Shit, you weren’t even mad, were you?”

She let his question hang, leaning back into the cushions, crossing her hands in her lap. Jake waited for the answer, but it never came. Lisa flipped her phone open, no longer paying attention to him. There was that smile, though, resting on her lips.

“We are taking it slow, Lisa,” he mumbled. “I didn’t really mean to call you anything.”

She shrugged, still looking at her phone. “Okay, Jake. Don’t worry about it,” she replied. “You can do whatever you want.”

‘What does that mean?’ he asked himself. ‘Why the hell is she still grinin’?’

“Alright,” he said. “You ain’t mad?”

“I’m mad at the Sheriff for being an idiot,” she said.

“Oh, that ain’t fair, Lisa,” Jake said. “He must have some kinda reason for - whatever is going on.”

“I guess,” she said. “And I’m not mad at you. Do whatever you want, cuz I already know what I want.”

Jake stood, nodding at her words. “Okay. Well, I’m gonna grab our bags out of the rig. You okay if I leave you for a bit?”

“Yeah,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m fine. You’re only going to the truck.”

He shook his head and exited the trailer, slamming the door behind him. Somehow, Lisa had switched from hiding in her head, to irritating him on purpose. At least that’s what it felt like to him.

He stepped out into the cool night air. The chill in the wind made him zip up his coat, squinting against the debris that swirled around him.

“What the hell is with her? She’s upset this mornin, talking bout relationship crap; an now she’s fine,” he said. “Dang women switch moods quicker than shit.”

He pulled the passenger side door open and climbed into the cab. Lisa's hairbrush sat on the dash, and he tucked it into his back pocket, knowing she’d be looking for it later. He thought about the long day now behind them.

Drama, some food, and more damn drama. The entire trip had been one emotional mind fuck for him. Twice he recalled why he had been single for so long. It was simply easier to enjoy a day without having to deal with other people's crap. But as soon as the thought came, he felt guilty when he looked at Lisa.

He sat on the bunk and closed his eyes. The vision of her filled his mind’s eye, sitting low in the seat, feet flat on the dashboard. The late afternoon sun framed her in the passenger side window while she read her book. Jake grinned, remembering how she smiled at him when she caught him looking.

Two headlights appeared on the hillside, winding their way down the gravel driveway to his house. He grabbed the suitcases and left the truck, closing and locking the door behind him. Flipping his hood up, he bent into the wind, heading for the trailer door.

When he knocked, Lisa answered and stepped aside. Jake set the bags on the floor and stepped in.

“Looks like John is here,” he said.

—----------------------------------------------------

“Do you remember anyone called Rebecca Marino in your family?” Asked Sheriff John.

He reclined in Jake's chair, holding a cup of coffee. Lisa had refused to make it for the guest, leaving Jake to fume at her dismissive behavior.

“Yeah, of course I do. That’s Mom’s maiden name, and Rebecca is her sister,” Lisa said. “So what?”

Jake listened from the bedroom steps. He had kicked his boots off after fixing everyone a cup of coffee. Lisa smiled when he handed her a cup, her pearly whites flashing. He ignored the reaction, tired of her up and down mood swings.

“The so what, is she passed away, Lisa,” John said. “She suffered a stroke last week and didn’t make it.”

The two men watched her, waiting for some kind of reaction. It wasn’t quite what they expected. She looked back and forth between them, then shrugged.

“That’s sad, Sheriff. But I never met her in my life. Is that all?”

Sheriff John looked at Jake, but Jake only shook his head. “Uh, well that’s too bad you didn’t get to meet her. And no - that’s not it. You see, she was a very wealthy woman.”

Jake knew where this was going, he’d seen this type of movie before. He watched Lisa again, wondering if she knew.

“She started her company in Stanislaus County, California,” he continued. “Well, it’s still going without her.”

“What company, Sheriff?” Lisa asked, slightly annoyed. “Is it something illegal?”

“No! Nothin like that at all,” John said. “No, It’s a produce distribution company. Makes pickups and deliveries between farms and buyers. I believe the attorney mentioned some warehouse on the property.”

Before Lisa could say anything, Jake stood from the steps and sat on the couch, facing John.

“What’s the name of the place? I was all over that area hauling stuff,” he said.

Lisa leaned against his back, placing a hand on his arm. He looked down at it before fixing his attention on the Sheriff again. John smiled and took a drink of his coffee.

“R&M Logistics,” answered John. “And after Lisa and the attorney finish the paperwork, she will inherit the entire estate.”

“What?” Lisa asked, sitting bolt upright. “I - no I can’t!”

Jake ignored her, recalling the layout of the business. Two massive warehouses, one with truck docks. A massive 4 bay workshop with their own trucks. If he remembered correctly, a small house sat just to the side of the business.

“Sheriff,” Jake asked. “Is there a house on that land?”

John sipped his coffee and stared at the ceiling. “There may be one. That attorney didn’t say, but Rebecca must have lived nearby.”

“Hello!” Lisa shrieked. “What am I going to do with a business I can’t run?”

“It runs itself, Lisa,” said John. “There are employees of all sorts there keeping it goin.”

Lisa stood from the couch and paced up and down the length of the trailer. She grabbed her hair, mumbling to herself. Jake held his chin in his hand, still staring at the floor.

“Jake? Tell me what I should do,” Lisa said. Her voice shook with nerves, her eyes glazed over.

“Visit the guy with the paperwork,” he mumbled. “You’re sitting on a goldmine.”

“But that's in California! I can’t even drive, and I have no car. What should I do?” Lisa gasped and clutched her stomach. “I can’t do this, I just can't.”

“Honey, sit down,” John said. “You’ll pass out if you keep this up.”

Jake stood and grabbed her by the shoulders, walking her backwards to the couch. He put an arm around her, holding her close.

“It’s fine, Sweetheart. All you need to do is visit this attorney guy and listen to what he has to say. Then, we’ll drive down there in a few days to see what you inherited.”

Lisa nodded, still staring off into space.

“After I get a contractor setup here, I’ll help you with this stuff. It ain’t bad, I promise.”

Again, she just nodded, still holding her stomach.

“I’ll have Jason meet us down there. He can look at the workshop and the trucks, it’s fine.”

“Okay,” she squeaked.

“Your man here can handle the job,” said John. He offered her a fatherly smile, trying to calm her nerves. “Ain’t nobody gonna let you sink, girl.”

She smiled at him, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Thank you.”

After another hour of discussing the place in California, Sheriff John said his goodbyes and left for home.

"Lisa, I'll see you in the morning."

—---------------------------------------------

Attorney Don Pinkly was a large, greasy man with a bad comb-over. When Lisa and Sheriff John walked into his office, the first thing they noticed was the potent smell of burnt coffee and musty carpet.

"Don’t think he's cleaned since he opened in 84'," John muttered.

Lisa clamped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. John kept a stoic face, acting as if he said nothing.

Jake had stayed behind at the ranch to get some estimates from a few contractors. Lisa protested, but John mentioned they could use a break from one another. That didn’t stop Lisa from pressing close to him to plant a kiss on her man as they departed.

“Lisa, so good to meet you,” Don said. He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her chest.

She ignored his lecherous gaze, and the offered handshake. This man gave her the creeps.

“Don, how are you doing this morning?” Asked John. “Keeping out of trouble, I hope.”

Don tore his eyes from Lisa and wiped his hand on his coat as if she'd soiled it. “I’m well, Sheriff. Let’s get to business, shall we?”

He walked to his side of the desk, gesturing to the two seats in front of him. Lisa sat and surveyed the dank office around her. The faded wood-panel walls were filthy. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, some old enough to have collected a substantial amount of dust and bugs.

“Missus Lucinda Gracia sent me these documents for you to look over, Lisa,” Don said. He slid a thick manila envelope in front of her and leaned his elbows on the desk.

“Well, give us the details, Don,” John said. His tone told Lisa that he didn’t exactly care for the man sitting across from them.

“Alright,” Don growled. “Miss Lisa has, upon her signature, inherited her late aunt’s estate. That includes the business we discussed, and her home next to the property the business sits on.”

Lisa flipped through the documents in front of her. There were a few pictures of the home, and some of the business. There were some trucks in the photos, but she didn’t know what kind they were.

Other pages included some financial records for the business, and her aunt’s bank. When she saw the current balance, she almost fainted.

“S - Sixty million?” she asked.

John sat bolt upright, clutching the arms of his chair. “What?”

Lisa turned to him and held a slip of paper in her shaking hand. “Look.”

Don reached across the desk, trying to grab the paper from the sheriff’s hand. “That’s privileged information!”

John turned away from the outstretched hand, still reading the document. “Back off, Don.”

“I am subject to certain protocols here, John!” Don yelled.

“And I gave him that form, Don! Sit!” Lisa shouted.

Don glowered at her, but did as she asked. “Get some money, and now you think you’re in control?”

“So much for your protocols, huh?” John asked. He handed the paper back to Lisa and reclined in the chair. “Any traps she needs to be aware of before she signs? You know she’ll sue you if you lie.”

Don pulled at his collar and held his hands out in front of him. “N - No, of course not. I’m just a middleman, alright?”

Sheriff eyed him before nodding. “You better be straight, Don. Show her where to make her mark so we can get some fresh air.”

—---------------------------------------------

Jake met with three contractors before settling on two. One was a metal fab team to add two more bays to his shop, and replace the two roll up doors. Jake also added additional lighting inside and had any existing wiring replaced and brought up to code.

The second team would gut the rest of the house before tackling the rebuild. The existing wood floors would be resurfaced and sealed at the end of the job. Jake agreed to hire the contractor's wife for his final tie-up. Her skills with interior design helped him with that decision.

Both crews could start within the next week with his deposit. With that hurdle cleared, Jake returned to the trailer for a drink while he placed a call to Jason. Hopefully, his friend would be on the search for a travel trailer. He wanted him in California as soon as possible to go over everything mechanical.

Jake relaxed in his chair, cold drink in his hand. He kicked off his boots and flipped the footrest up, thinking about everything that had happened recently. The bear, Lisa, and all the shit in between. Then his mind wandered to their budding relationship.

He didn’t want it, but it had happened anyway. He wasn’t much older than her, but that wasn’t even the issue. Lisa is in a sensitive state right now. First with her past abandonment, and now this inheritance. Would it be best for him to pull away and let her go on her own?

‘She’s got a place of her own now, after all. I could check in on her and see how she’s getting along, but would it be okay to do that? Lisa needs to focus on herself, and not some rebound romance.’

Jake adjusted his position and took a swig of his drink. He cared about her more than he wanted to admit.

‘She's so dang cute, but that don’t mean shit. That girl needs stability and health before she goes off an gets involved with anyone. What about her employment with me? She’s got her own company now anyhow.’

‘I need to let her down easy, I suppose. Maybe we can start up again after a year or so once she’s all better.’

His stomach twisted into knots just thinking about it. He wanted to keep her around, but that fucked with his mind. Right and wrong played ping-pong in his skull, neither side gaining a win.

The door opened to his right, revealing a disheveled Lisa. She stepped in and slammed the door.

“Bit windy out there?” Jake asked. He put a hand up behind his head and sipped his drink again.

Lisa huffed and looked up at him. “That better not be what I think it is!” she snapped.

Jake wrinkled his brow, wondering what the hell she was talking about. Lisa stomped over to him and crossed her arms, glaring at him.

“What?” he asked. “I can’t relax in my own home?”

“The can, Jake. Is it beer?” she asked.

“Oh! No it’s a Cola, see?” He held it up, showing her the blue and silver can. “You said no booze.”

Lisa smiled and bent down, giving his cheek a kiss. “Sorry I freaked out,” she said. “That lawyer in town is a pervert. I’m so glad John went with me.”

She tossed her coat on the couch before disappearing into the bathroom. Jake kicked the footrest down and sat up.

“Do I need to peel him like a banana?”

Lisa laughed loud enough to reach his ears. “Yes, please!”

He smiled to himself and bent his head. Her little giggly laugh always made him happy. Then his stomach twisted again with that thought. If he pushed her to be on her own, he would never hear her laugh again.

“Why can’t anything ever be easy,” he mumbled. “A fucking manual on life would be a saviour.”

“Are you okay?”

He jumped and turned to see Lisa walking up behind him. She still wore her long-sleeved shirt, but now her pants were missing. Jake swallowed hard, taking her in.

“Where, uh. You wore pants to town, right?” he asked.

She giggled again, placing a hand on his chest, pushing him back in his chair.

“Yeah, silly,” she whispered. “The bottoms got wet in that big puddle outside.”

She turned, sitting in his lap, kicking her feet over the arm of the chair. Draping an arm over his shoulders, she pulled him forward and kissed him softly.

“I didn’t want to do this and get the furniture wet,” she whispered in his ear. “And I think you deserve some cuddles for not drinking.”

Her little backside was resting in his lap, dangerously close to his growing erection. Every thought he had earlier about them going their own way, vanished.

“Lisa, you don’t have any pants on,” he croaked.

She smiled and laid a hand on his chest. “Uh-huh, I know.”

Her heart was going a million miles a minute. Before she got home, she had no intention of doing this. But as soon as she heard Jake admit he was respecting her wish about not drinking, she wanted him! Never before had anyone respected her wishes; nobody had ever given a shit about her.

“Lisa, I think we need to talk,” Jake said.

He willed his erection to disappear, but it wasn’t working. Lisa didn’t need his dick jabbing her in the ass.

Her hand stilled on his chest, and her smile faded to a look of concern. “What about, Jake?”

How the hell could he tell her what he was thinking? She was making all the moves after all. He never once made the first move to kiss her, he just held her.

“Well, uh. I think you might be moving too fast,” he said. “Like now, you know?”

She looked down at his chest, then between her legs. “I am?” She grinned again, then kissed his neck.

Her soft lips sent a chill down his back, reviving his excitement.

“Lisa, I mean it. You agreed to take it easy.”

She kissed under his chin, then turned his face to hers, kissing his lips. “I am. I told you to do what you want, cuz I know what I want.”

“I think you and I should go our own ways,” he said.

She stopped her assault and pulled back, staring at him in disbelief. “What? I’m gross to you, aren’t I?” She scrambled off his lap and jabbed a finger in his chest. “You lied to me, you asshole!”

Jake moved to sit up, but Lisa’s backhand across his face changed that. He grabbed his face, hissing with the stinging pain in his jaw.

“You told me you’d help me! You said you’d never push me out, you fucking prick!”

She smacked him again, this time across the other cheek. Jake saw it coming, catching her wrist after the impact. Lisa tried to pull herself free, but Jake held her tight. He calmly set his can on the side table before fixing her with a menacing look.

“Never do that again,” he said.

He did his best to keep his cool, but his burning face threatened to stoke his anger.

Lisa flipped him the bird with her free hand while trying to pull the other free. “Let go, Jake!”

“No. Not until you calm down.”

She struggled more, ignoring his advice. “You lied to me. How can I trust you?”

“I didn’t lie, Lisa!” Jake boomed. “I was trying to start a discussion!”

She flinched at his anger, but struggled still. It wasn’t until she realized that Jake’s grip never relaxed, that she stopped her struggle for freedom.

“What, then?” she said. “You wanna go fuck Becca? Your little bedbug at the truck stop?”

Jake squinted at her. “What? Are you insane?”

Lisa placed her free hand on her hip, bending a knee. Jake watched, momentarily losing his train of thought. Those legs and that -

“Well? Am I not enough for you, Jake?”

‘That's a trap,’ he thought.

“Yes, you are, Lisa,” he said. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Stop fucking thinking for me!” She screamed. “Let go of me, and get out!” She pointed to the door, eyes closed with her rage.

Jake released her wrist, but he didn’t budge. “It’s my house!”

She glared at him, stomping her foot. “Out, now! Until you realize that we're together, then get out of this trailer!”

“Oh, now you’re the gosh dang boss? You’re gonna force me into a relationship?” He stood, towering over Lisa’s slight form. “I don’t think so. I won’t hurt you like that.”

“You’re hurting me now,” she said. Hands on her hips in defiance, she stared back at him. “Get out and don’t come back until that sinks in.”

Jake sat and pulled his boots on, still in the staring contest with Lisa. He grabbed his wallet and coat, along with his pickup keys.

“Fine, I’ll just go to the tavern for a drink,” he growled.

“Fine,” she challenged. “See what happens.”

“You’ve already kicked me out. What else you gonna do, brat?” He pulled the door open after zipping his coat. “I’ll just sleep in the rig until the house is done.”

Lisa smirked and reached down, grabbing the hem of her shirt. In one swift move, she pulled it off, standing before him in her panties. The cool air from the open door had the reaction she hoped for.

Jake froze, eyes glued to her hardening pink nipples. His eyes fell on her tight stomach, then back again to her gorgeous chest.

“I - that ain’t gonna work,” he muttered. “There’s plenty of women in town with tits.”

Lisa stared back at him, a small grin tugging at her mouth. She won, and she knew it. Their semi silent battle went on for another five minutes before Jake finally closed the door to stand in the light rain outside. He reached for his can of tobacco, but remembered it was on the counter - in the trailer.

“Fuck!”

He marched to his truck and left to buy another can. No way in hell was he going to go back in that house and let her win.

‘The hell does she get off saying I’m hurting her? I try an help her, but I’m the bad guy in this? Fuck that shit! No drinking, no saying we ain’t together, no going our own way. How the fuck did she get to be the boss? I’m helping HER!’

—------------------------------------------------------------------

Lisa sighed and shook her head, pulling her top on again with trembling hands. This day was not going how she expected - how she wanted. She wanted to tell him about the meeting with that disgusting man in his dingy office, and all she was receiving from her late aunt.

She was excited, or rather she had been before Jake ruined her mood. Her life was coming together faster than she had expected, but that one spot inside her felt incomplete. The piece to fill it had just left in a foul mood, and her future with Jake was looking bleak.

Lisa wanted to lie in bed and curl up under the big comforter while the rain pounded on the ceiling, but that wouldn’t help. Instead, she pulled a pack of hotdogs from the fridge to fry up for a late lunch.

“I guess this will do since Jake wants to fuck off,” she grumbled. “So much for a happy day!”

She gathered her hair into a messy bun before dumping the dogs in the hot skillet. Soon, the trailer filled with the smell of fried hotdogs and freshly brewed coffee. When her small meal was done, she placed a dog on a slice of bread and sat on the couch.

Lisa chewed her food slowly and listened to the wind and rain whipping around outside. It brought her back to her early childhood when she’d recline in bed with a good book. The sound of the TV in the other room and the smell of her mom cooking in the kitchen set the mood for a perfect rainy day.

Now, sitting alone in the trailer, she missed those carefree days. That was something she wished she could give a child of her own; hopefully someday. Lisa knew well what the doctor had told her; she may never have kids of her own.

But now she had money! Surely there was a doctor somewhere that could help her for the right price, right? But the weighty reality of her current situation soon clouded that hopeful thought.

‘I’ve got a damn business to run.’

Sure, she would have been doing that with Jake as some kind of manager. But Jake knew how to do that; he runs his own shit right now!

‘Maybe I could just have him run it, or buy it?’

Lisa wiped her hands on the napkin, swallowing the last bite as she stood from the couch. The crumpled napkin passed through the rim of the trash can as she walked by on her way to the master bedroom. She wanted this day to end, and she wanted Jake to come back so she could snuggle with him in bed.

‘Will he come back? He has to cuz this is his property, but does he care? I mean, he could have just kicked me out if he wanted to.’

She flopped down face first in the blankets, arms out at her sides. A million thoughts zipped by in her mind's eye, not one making itself clear enough to latch onto. The only things she could focus on were the heavy reminder of her extra responsibility in California, and the growing need for someone to love her.

—-------------------------------------------

Jake cruised the town with the old radio turned up as high as the speakers could handle. He picked up his tobacco from the corner store, but didn’t want to go home just yet. Every time he thought about what Lisa had said, his heart rate would climb, making the blood rush in his ears.

He knew fully that if he opened that door to his own home, Lisa would consider them an official couple.

‘She fucking knows, I told her about this shit! Damn women gotta push an push until they get what they want. My mother an ex’s done the same shit, an Lisa knows this! She knows what she wants… me!’

Jake smacked the steering wheel in frustration. “Can’t just leave shit be! I got work to do, a house to build. Why the hell can’t she be happy with what we're doing now?”

He pulled into the Tavern’s lot and shut the truck off. Lisa warned him about drinking, but Jake just about had a belly full of her demands. If she was going to kick him out of his house, then he’d have a beer with the other unhappy men in town.

He pulled his hood up over his head, and nodding to the men smoking outside, pushed through the door leading into the dim bar. Several TVs had the games on, but that wasn’t what he was here for. As soon as he found an empty stool at the bar, Junior dropped a menu in front of him.

“Hey der, Jake! Nice ta’ see you again.”

Jake pulled his hood down and leaned his elbows on the bar. “Howdy, Junior. Been a minute, huh?”

Junior grinned and set a foaming glass in front of Jake. “Yep, sho has. I see yer head’s healin up mighty fine.”

The men on either side of Jake turned to listen, glancing briefly at his stitched head. Jake rolled his eyes and brought the cold glass to his lips, relishing the heady brew Junior poured him.

“Yeah, Lisa still aint letting me forget how I got it,” Jake said. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and set the glass down. “Banned me from drinking, too. Said I got to focus on other shit.”

The men at his sides raised their brows, but Junior frowned and looked past them to the front door. “Ey, she ain’t gonna look fer you, is she? I don need a pissed off wife comin’ here causin’ trouble.”

Jake barked out a laugh and polished off the rest of his glass. “Ha! Ain’t my wife, Junior. Nah, she kicked me out cuz I told her we need to stay apart.”

Junior gave Jake a confused look, but it was the man to his right that spoke.

“Wait a minute, here. Y'all ain’t together, but she gave you the boot? Is it her place?”

“My property, guy. Said I can’t go back unless I agree we're together,” Jake said. “Stupid, huh?”

“Damn straight,” said the guy to the left. “Kick her out and be a man!”

“Ha! That ain’t gonna happen, Jerry,” said Junior. “Shoulda seen that girl runnin over to help im after he busted his head over there.” Junior pointed over to the restrooms. “Sewed ‘im up like a pro that night. Jake ‘ere needs to open his eyes.”

“That was you?” Jerry asked. “Damn, boy! I’d ground you from drinkin’ too if I was her.”

“She ain’t my woman!” Jake spat. “Fuckin hell, I’m gettin tired of people tellin me how to do my own shit.”

Junior held his hands up and stepped back. “Calm yer shit, boy. Jus sayin’ you got a wonderful gal lookin out fer you is all.”

“Mhmm, sounds like it,” the guy to his right said.

“And you ain’t kicked her out. You left, not her. Think about that one, Jake,” Jerry said.

“Yeah, yeah I get it,” Jake said. “Just fetch me a burger an some onion rings, Junior. I ain’t talkin about this shit anymore.”

Junior nodded and gathered the empty glass along with the menu. “I get you a cola with that,” he said. “Ain’t tryin my luck with angry, uh, people.”

After his meal, Jake ordered a turkey sandwich and fries to go before he hauled himself into his truck. As pissed off with Lisa as he was, he couldn’t let her go to bed hungry. This wasn’t a thought that passed his mind earlier, though. For all he cared, she kicked him out, she could starve.

But as he ate and fumed at the bar, her vision in his mind melted away those dark thoughts. She still needed his help, and he promised her he wouldn’t give up on her. Was it her manipulating him? That was something he told himself he would watch out for. He’d go along with her crazy plans of a relationship, but would remind her he didn’t approve.

‘She knows better, and we’ve talked about this. I’ll go back there and tell her she’s forcing my hand. I’m only going along with this to help her. Besides, she’ll wake up and get over whatever is possessing her.’

—----------------------------------------

Lisa had taken a nap, showered, and started a new book before Jake had returned. Until that point, she was doubting whether what she had done was a good idea. His parting words about going to the Tavern and finding tits in town had got to her.

She had read the same page in her book four times, unable to concentrate, when the sound of the old pickup reached her ears. Her heart skipped, and she dropped the book next to her, peeking out through the window facing the driveway.

Sure enough, the faded yellow Chevy pulled up alongside the Kenworth before the tall figure of Jake stepped out into the rain. She pulled back and smoothed the front of her nightshirt.

‘Holy shit, he’s back! What do I do?’

She looked around her as if the room would offer solid advice. Nothing came to her, so she climbed back into bed and retrieved her book. Why present yourself when you’re the one who stirred the pot?

Jake pulled the door open, allowing a burst of cold air to penetrate the once warm and cozy trailer. Lisa watched him from her elevated position in the master bedroom, and she wasn’t pleased. Jake didn’t look up, or around the room for her.

He stepped in and closed the door behind him, twisting the deadbolt with a click. He then set the plastic bag he held on the counter before draping his coat over the back of his chair. Still, he did not look for Lisa while he kicked off his boots and reclined in the seat. From her position, Lisa could only see him from his knees down.

She frowned and wondered why the hell he wasn’t looking for her. Was he drunk, or did he have another woman’s lipstick on his neck? Surely he saw her reading light on in the bedroom, so why didn’t he check on her? A lump formed in her throat, and she worried again about what he had done in town.