sure as
hell don’t run me. Rae ripped a curtain in half and stuffed it into
a garbage bag with force.
“Just remindin’ you how Toya can be, cher.
Now, when she finds out about you an’ Simon, pooh-ya!” Marcelle
said.
Rae faced her with a daring grin. “You know
me, sugar. I don’t take crap.”
“Simon is a sexy guy and nice, too.” Marcelle
went back to cleaning the bar. “You’ll make a good pair.”
“Wait a minute. Simon St. Cyr hasn’t bowled
me over with his charm. I don’t dance to anybody’s tune but my
own,” Rae said with heat.
“Like you said, I know you. Simon has made
more of an impression on you than you think, or maybe wanna admit.”
Marcelle gazed at her across the space between them.
“No way! Look, so he’s nice, but he’s not
exactly my speed.” Rae affected an off-hand tone.
Rae turned her back to avoid the other
woman’s probing look. She did not want to feel this racing
sensation in her veins when she thought of seeing Simon tonight, or
remember the tingle on her skin when he touched her.
“I hope you know what you’re doing with the
investigation and Simon St. Cyr.” Marcelle scrubbed at the tiles.
“Remember what my grandmama says, ‘Keep it up, Missy, an’ you gonna
get more than you bargained for.’”
“Don’t go getting all spooky on me, girl.
Whew, we’ve done enough for today. It’s time for you to go get
little Felicia anyway,” Rae said.
Rae and Marcelle chattered about other things
as they packed up to leave. Rae wanted to distract her friend from
any more talk of Simon. Yet a cloud now hung over the bright
afternoon that was not in the sky overhead.
Marcelle’s grandmother had a reputation for
having ‘the gift.’ More than seeing the future, Monmon Perrine
could look below the surface of present events and human behavior,
advising others of what they should do. Rae tried to tame the
creeping anxiety that Marcelle’s words brought on. She would not
let old superstitions rule her.
* * *
Everything had been going just fine, until
they played that song. The sound of the guitar wrapped around the
room in a slow, bluesy strain. Now Rae found herself fighting a
feeling she’d sworn would not overtake her. Simon’s cheek resting
against hers made it so hard though.
From the moment he’d picked her up, Rae was
comfortable. She resumed her confident demeanor, determined that
she would set the pace for whatever developed between them. Dinner
went well. They went to Pat’s, a large seafood restaurant right on
the water near Henderson Swamp. The Creole dishes were spicy, and
Rae added her cocky humor to the flavor of Tabasco.
Simon contrasted his conventional childhood
to hers. He even seemed to enjoy her gentle teasing about his staid
lifestyle; what’s more, he made a few jokes about himself. Rae felt
on firm ground. Now this pounding in her heart that reached down to
her hips, making her want to press closer to him, would not be
reasoned away.
The singer stretched out the words to the old
blues melody ‘I Need Your Love,’ as though he was alone with his
lover. His voice had a clear, slinky smoothness, perfect for
singing the blues.
After a time, Rae forgot to fight the
feeling. The words to the song echoed a poignant note that found a
responsive chord in her. For too long she’d been without a special
someone. She not only thought this someone was not a necessity in
her life, but something she did not want. In fact, Rae distrusted
the head-over-heels kind of love. In her experience, that kind led
to misery and betrayal. Now this blues singer was making her
believe she’d been the one kidding herself.
“Rae, maybe we better sit down,” Simon
murmured in her ear. He made no move to take his arms from around
her. His body still swayed.
“Hum?” Rae’s eyes were closed, her face
resting against his shoulder. “Why?” She was enjoying a weightless
feeling of serenity.
Simon chuckled. “Because the band is taking
hell don’t run me. Rae ripped a curtain in half and stuffed it into
a garbage bag with force.
“Just remindin’ you how Toya can be, cher.
Now, when she finds out about you an’ Simon, pooh-ya!” Marcelle
said.
Rae faced her with a daring grin. “You know
me, sugar. I don’t take crap.”
“Simon is a sexy guy and nice, too.” Marcelle
went back to cleaning the bar. “You’ll make a good pair.”
“Wait a minute. Simon St. Cyr hasn’t bowled
me over with his charm. I don’t dance to anybody’s tune but my
own,” Rae said with heat.
“Like you said, I know you. Simon has made
more of an impression on you than you think, or maybe wanna admit.”
Marcelle gazed at her across the space between them.
“No way! Look, so he’s nice, but he’s not
exactly my speed.” Rae affected an off-hand tone.
Rae turned her back to avoid the other
woman’s probing look. She did not want to feel this racing
sensation in her veins when she thought of seeing Simon tonight, or
remember the tingle on her skin when he touched her.
“I hope you know what you’re doing with the
investigation and Simon St. Cyr.” Marcelle scrubbed at the tiles.
“Remember what my grandmama says, ‘Keep it up, Missy, an’ you gonna
get more than you bargained for.’”
“Don’t go getting all spooky on me, girl.
Whew, we’ve done enough for today. It’s time for you to go get
little Felicia anyway,” Rae said.
Rae and Marcelle chattered about other things
as they packed up to leave. Rae wanted to distract her friend from
any more talk of Simon. Yet a cloud now hung over the bright
afternoon that was not in the sky overhead.
Marcelle’s grandmother had a reputation for
having ‘the gift.’ More than seeing the future, Monmon Perrine
could look below the surface of present events and human behavior,
advising others of what they should do. Rae tried to tame the
creeping anxiety that Marcelle’s words brought on. She would not
let old superstitions rule her.
* * *
Everything had been going just fine, until
they played that song. The sound of the guitar wrapped around the
room in a slow, bluesy strain. Now Rae found herself fighting a
feeling she’d sworn would not overtake her. Simon’s cheek resting
against hers made it so hard though.
From the moment he’d picked her up, Rae was
comfortable. She resumed her confident demeanor, determined that
she would set the pace for whatever developed between them. Dinner
went well. They went to Pat’s, a large seafood restaurant right on
the water near Henderson Swamp. The Creole dishes were spicy, and
Rae added her cocky humor to the flavor of Tabasco.
Simon contrasted his conventional childhood
to hers. He even seemed to enjoy her gentle teasing about his staid
lifestyle; what’s more, he made a few jokes about himself. Rae felt
on firm ground. Now this pounding in her heart that reached down to
her hips, making her want to press closer to him, would not be
reasoned away.
The singer stretched out the words to the old
blues melody ‘I Need Your Love,’ as though he was alone with his
lover. His voice had a clear, slinky smoothness, perfect for
singing the blues.
After a time, Rae forgot to fight the
feeling. The words to the song echoed a poignant note that found a
responsive chord in her. For too long she’d been without a special
someone. She not only thought this someone was not a necessity in
her life, but something she did not want. In fact, Rae distrusted
the head-over-heels kind of love. In her experience, that kind led
to misery and betrayal. Now this blues singer was making her
believe she’d been the one kidding herself.
“Rae, maybe we better sit down,” Simon
murmured in her ear. He made no move to take his arms from around
her. His body still swayed.
“Hum?” Rae’s eyes were closed, her face
resting against his shoulder. “Why?” She was enjoying a weightless
feeling of serenity.
Simon chuckled. “Because the band is taking
Similar Books
