“Nope. Right now, there’s a lot of muck being thrown around. If I had to pay for legal counsel, I’d be madder than a wet hen, but Loren has taken on the case. God bless my sister. She’s not only smart, talented, and fierce, but also pissed. Nothing good is going come out of this.”
Looking down at Popcorn, she smiled. “Drew was hopping mad when you gave me this dog for college graduation. He never got over it. He kept going on and on about how it wasn’t right to give a woman a dog if you were not a couple. After he lost his temper, I should’ve just ended it and done both of us a favor.”
Brock shrugged. “How bad was his temper?”
“By the end, it was bad enough to scare me. After we graduated, he allowed his folks to run his life. It was the price he had to pay to get one of the dealerships. He was their puppet and took his frustration out on me. I think he saw me doing my thing on my own terms and was envious.
“That envy turned into anger, which made him a nasty jerk. When I saw he wasn’t getting over himself and who he was becoming was only going to get worse, I knew we were done. People have two sides, and it’s best to pay attention to what they choose. Sin and virtue are both within us, and the one we give the most energy to defines who we become.”
“I agree with what you’re saying because I’ve had many moments when I knew I was making a choice that was going to lead me down a certain path.”
“I think we humans do that every day. From how we choose to treat people, to what we choose to focus on, to who we love. The nuns always told us that the battle for our souls was fought daily. Practicing the contrary virtues was supposed to protect us against the temptation of the seven deadly sins. Humility against pride, kindness against envy, abstinence against gluttony, chastity against lust, etcetera, etcetera. I can’t say that I totally disagree with the notion, but ideas that are thousands of years old often have to adapt to the modern world. Nothing is ever as simple as choosing one thing over another.”
“Let’s go practice a little gluttony and get something to eat,” he said. “Is there a place you like around here?” He jumped to his feet and held out his hands. “Come on. Let’s spend some time together.”
Putting her hands into his, she allowed him to lift her up. At five-eight, she wasn’t a small thing, but standing next to Brock made her feel feminine. His height, width, and general personality made him seem Hulk-like, and she enjoyed it enormously. “Let’s go to the Tap Room.”
“That’s not your thing. Pick someplace that you like.”
“A Ponchatoula-tini and hot dog sound about perfect.” Looking down at her jeans and sweater, she shrugged. “I don’t feel like changing.”
Taking her hand, he led her toward her back door. “You look about perfect to me.” He pulled her closer as they crossed the path. “What’s a Ponchatoula-tini?”
“Magnolia vodka, strawberries, and mint. It’s delicious and goes with the high-hard-one hot dog. It’s the perfect combination of pickles, onions, and mustard. A classic if ever there was one. They have pizza if you like too.”
“Did you say a high-hard-on?”
Slapping his arm, she laughed. “No, and you know it. Pull your mind out of the gutter.”
“My mind is not in the gutter. It’s in your bedroom or my bedroom…or really any flat surface. Or a wall. That would work too.”
“I see the beast has been unleashed and all pretense and civility are gone.”
“You said it, not me. I’m going to embrace the sin of lust and see if I can get you to join me.”
Looking at her dog, she shrugged. “I think he’s lost his ever-lovin’ mind, Popcorn.” The look the dog gave her suggested he agreed.
“I think the opposite is true. My mind is working perfectly, and it’s no longer ignoring a truth it’s known for years. Get ready, Lilly. We’ve got some sinning to do, and it’s past time we got started.”
Maybe he was right, and it was time to quit the fighting and start the kissing.
***
After her second Ponchatoula-tini, Lilly decided to ask Brock what he’d meant the other day. When a man told you he wanted to ravage you, it seemed wise to find out exactly what that meant. “Why are you hanging around and smooching me?”
“You remember your fifteenth birthday?”
“You mean the swim party Mama had for me?”
“Yes. You wore a pink bikini.”
“Damn, that’s some kind of memory you have.” Eating a fry off his plate, she smiled. “I had gotten my braces off and my girl parts came in, so yes, I remember too.”
Looking over his shoulder, he took a deep breath. The last thing he needed was for someone to hear his confession.
“Spill, Brock.”
He turned back and shrugged. “I was eighteen years old and about to go off to college. In my mind, I was damn near a grown man, and you knocked me off my feet. You were standing next to the pool with your sisters, and I felt like I was having a heart attack. My tomboy neighbor had blossomed into a fucking swan. The things I felt for you were overwhelming and unwelcome. That day you were no longer the crazy girl next door. You became a woman who captivated me. At eighteen, I had no idea what to do.” Draining his beer, he signaled the waitress for another one. “Is it hot in here?”
