good sense to put more’n one hog on the spit. If he didn’t,” the beefy man guffawed, running a freckled hand through his dark red hair, “he’s gonna have a lotta hungry people here.”
“ There’ll be plenty to go around, Frank. Just like always.” Charlotte looked beyond him to where a tall gaunt woman stood watching them. “I’m glad you could come, Sarah.” She continued wiping the rims of the jars. “Can you tell how much Jessie’s grown since you saw her last?”
“ I sure can,” she dropped a kiss on her fingers then tapped them atop the head of the laughing baby lying on the blanketed ground beneath a shade tree. Turning, Sarah picked up a nearby towel and pulled a jar of pickles forward.
“ Just what the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Frank roared.
In an instant the smile vanished and the dull brown eyes darted to meet Charlotte’s, before Sarah turned to face her husband. “I was just helpin’ Charlotte get the food ready, Frank.”
“ No, hell you ain’t.” Frank shook his head, his already ruddy complexion deepening as he glared at her. “Do you see a drink or a plate of food in my hand, woman?”
“ I’m sorry, Frank.” Sarah pushed a straying wisp of mousy brown hair back behind her ear.
“ You’re damn right you are.” Frank jabbed a meaty thumb in the direction of the over-laden tables. “Now, get your scrawny butt over there and get me some food!”
“ Yes, Frank. I’ll bring you a plate right away.” Sarah bobbed her head, dragging sweaty palms down the front of her dark brown gingham dress as she hastened to get her husband a plate of food.
“ You know, Frank,” Charlotte eyed him with open distain, “it wouldn’t hurt you to wait on yourself once in a while. With that gut hangin’ over your belt,” she poked a finger into the soft bulge, “it’s plain to see you could use the exercise.”
Slapping the protruding belly beneath his new white-linen shirt, Frank’s wide mouth curled into an open grin. “‘Fore I leave here today it’s gonna be a lot bigger. Providin’ that is,” he wiggled his bushy brows, “Eathen stocked enough liquor.”
Aiming a warning look at Hattie as she started around the table, Charlotte cut loose her anger. “This party’s for Jessie, Frank. If you’re plannin’ on gettin’ drunk and makin’ an ass of yourself, you can leave Sarah here and be on your way.”
“ I ain’t plannin’ on makin’ no trouble.” The devilish gleam left his hooded eyes. “Sarah and me and Little Frank just come to pay our respects and admire that new youngin’s all.”
A quick glance to the nearby tables where a red-haired, freckled-face boy clung to Sarah’s arm had Charlotte softening her voice. “All right, but I mean what I say, Frank. Eathen’s givin’ this barbecue to introduce everyone to our new daughter. We won’t stand for any trouble.”
“ Consider me told, Charlotte.” Frank smiled, hiking his jeans higher on his hips before reaching out to accept the plate of food his wife held out to him.
“ I apologize for my husband’s rudeness, Charlotte,” Sarah said, taking Jessie from Charlotte as they walked down the slight knoll leading to the house.
“ No need. Frank’ll be all right.” She stooped, righting Little Frank’s string tie beneath the collar of his light blue shirt, being careful not to spill the plate of food he held in his hands.
As soon as the women were gone, Frank set the untouched plate of food down on the table. Spying the well-stocked liquor table, he started walking in that direction when his hazel eyes fell on a young Mexican girl talking with Hattie. Running a moist tongue over lips gone dry, his dark gaze slid over her ripe body, lingering on the high full breasts and rounded hips.
“ This could turn out to be a pleasurable day after all.” He curled both sides of his shaggy red mustache into place.
“ Well now, little señorita,” he said, leering at the beautiful girl
“ There’ll be plenty to go around, Frank. Just like always.” Charlotte looked beyond him to where a tall gaunt woman stood watching them. “I’m glad you could come, Sarah.” She continued wiping the rims of the jars. “Can you tell how much Jessie’s grown since you saw her last?”
“ I sure can,” she dropped a kiss on her fingers then tapped them atop the head of the laughing baby lying on the blanketed ground beneath a shade tree. Turning, Sarah picked up a nearby towel and pulled a jar of pickles forward.
“ Just what the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Frank roared.
In an instant the smile vanished and the dull brown eyes darted to meet Charlotte’s, before Sarah turned to face her husband. “I was just helpin’ Charlotte get the food ready, Frank.”
“ No, hell you ain’t.” Frank shook his head, his already ruddy complexion deepening as he glared at her. “Do you see a drink or a plate of food in my hand, woman?”
“ I’m sorry, Frank.” Sarah pushed a straying wisp of mousy brown hair back behind her ear.
“ You’re damn right you are.” Frank jabbed a meaty thumb in the direction of the over-laden tables. “Now, get your scrawny butt over there and get me some food!”
“ Yes, Frank. I’ll bring you a plate right away.” Sarah bobbed her head, dragging sweaty palms down the front of her dark brown gingham dress as she hastened to get her husband a plate of food.
“ You know, Frank,” Charlotte eyed him with open distain, “it wouldn’t hurt you to wait on yourself once in a while. With that gut hangin’ over your belt,” she poked a finger into the soft bulge, “it’s plain to see you could use the exercise.”
Slapping the protruding belly beneath his new white-linen shirt, Frank’s wide mouth curled into an open grin. “‘Fore I leave here today it’s gonna be a lot bigger. Providin’ that is,” he wiggled his bushy brows, “Eathen stocked enough liquor.”
Aiming a warning look at Hattie as she started around the table, Charlotte cut loose her anger. “This party’s for Jessie, Frank. If you’re plannin’ on gettin’ drunk and makin’ an ass of yourself, you can leave Sarah here and be on your way.”
“ I ain’t plannin’ on makin’ no trouble.” The devilish gleam left his hooded eyes. “Sarah and me and Little Frank just come to pay our respects and admire that new youngin’s all.”
A quick glance to the nearby tables where a red-haired, freckled-face boy clung to Sarah’s arm had Charlotte softening her voice. “All right, but I mean what I say, Frank. Eathen’s givin’ this barbecue to introduce everyone to our new daughter. We won’t stand for any trouble.”
“ Consider me told, Charlotte.” Frank smiled, hiking his jeans higher on his hips before reaching out to accept the plate of food his wife held out to him.
“ I apologize for my husband’s rudeness, Charlotte,” Sarah said, taking Jessie from Charlotte as they walked down the slight knoll leading to the house.
“ No need. Frank’ll be all right.” She stooped, righting Little Frank’s string tie beneath the collar of his light blue shirt, being careful not to spill the plate of food he held in his hands.
As soon as the women were gone, Frank set the untouched plate of food down on the table. Spying the well-stocked liquor table, he started walking in that direction when his hazel eyes fell on a young Mexican girl talking with Hattie. Running a moist tongue over lips gone dry, his dark gaze slid over her ripe body, lingering on the high full breasts and rounded hips.
“ This could turn out to be a pleasurable day after all.” He curled both sides of his shaggy red mustache into place.
“ Well now, little señorita,” he said, leering at the beautiful girl
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