Jan Hudson - One Ticket To Texas

“Who’s Olivia?”

“One of my housemates in Washington.”

“One?” He filled her glass with tea from a pitcher.

“Yes,” she said. Between bites she gave him a thumbnail sketch of Olivia and Kim.

“How long have you been a reporter?” Kyle asked.

“A reporter? I’m not a reporter. Where did you get that idea?”

“You said you were doing an article on Jackson and his buddies, and I assumed that you were doing it for a newspaper.”

“Heavens, no. I’m doing the article for Esprit.”

“Esprit, the magazine? You work for them? I would have figured that someone with your looks would be modeling for them instead of writing.”

“Thank you very much. I used to be a model.” She smiled graciously. “But I don’t work for the magazine full-time. This is a freelance piece.”

He pointed to her uneaten bowl of chili. “Mind?”

“Not at all.” His digestive tract must be lined with lead. She couldn’t believe that anyone could eat an entire bowl of that blazing concoction, much less two.

“I love this stuff. It’s been ages since I’ve had a decent bowl of chili. Grandpa Pete makes it in a wash pot over an open fire, then freezes it in bricks. Why aren’t you a model any longer?”

His sudden switch of topics took her aback for a moment. She nibbled a potato chip before she gave him one of her stock answers. “I’m getting too old.”

“Bull. You’re gorgeous and still in your prime.”

“I’m almost thirty.”

He laughed. “Just a kid.”

“To you maybe, but models are getting younger and younger these days. Too, I—I was getting tired of the work, of New York.”

“Now that I can understand. The crime rate in that place is out of sight. Why, around here, the worst crime committed lately was when Newt Irwin got drunk and—Irish?”

She startled. “Pardon?”

“You flinched and looked very nervous. Did I say something? Stray into sensitive territory?”

“No. Not at all,” she replied, which was a polite lie. He’d touched a nerve. “What were you saying about Luke?”

“Not Luke, Newt. He got drunk and stole one of Henry McKenzie’s goats.”

“Whatever for?”

“To barbecue. But the next morning Newt’s mama found the goat staked out in the front yard eating her pansies, and she called the sheriff. Henry got his goat back, but Newt had to spend three days in jail.”

“But Henry got his goat back. I’m surprised he pressed charges.”

“Henry didn’t. Newt’s mama did. The sheriff is married to her cousin, and Mrs. Irwin was proud of those pansies.”

Irish laughed. “Sounds like you have some real characters around here.”

A pistol shot sounded from upstairs, and Irish almost jumped out of her skin.

“That we do,” Kyle said. “And one of them lives upstairs. That’s Grandpa Pete again. Eighty-four years old and still rambunctious. Be right back. Look around the store and find yourself a dessert.”

Deciding to do just that, she was looking through the assortment of Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, and Little Debbie cakes when an RV stopped out front. An older couple in loud jogging gear came inside. He was balding and his jacket was stretched tightly over his rotund belly; she was rail-thin with badly colored black hair and wearing a plethora of diamond rings.

“Oh, look, Edgar. Isn’t this a charming little place?” To Irish she said, “We’re passing through on our way from the Gulf coast and decided to take the scenic route. I’m so glad we did. It’s just beautiful around here, isn’t it, Edgar? We wanted to pick up a few snacks, and—Edgar! Look at this. Carved Indians. Life-size. Wouldn’t one of these be just precious by our pool? And look at the price. Why, it’s a steal.”

“Mmmm,” Edgar said, not glancing up from the row of snack crackers he was inspecting.

With Kyle nowhere in sight, Irish pasted on a bright smile and went into her retail mode. “Aren’t they wonderful? The sculptor is very gifted. Have you seen the animals outside? The eagles are fantastic, and there’s one bear that you should see. A delightful conversation piece that was just finished. We call him Vince. Come, let me show you.”

When Kyle finally got Pete settled down and made it back downstairs, Irish was at the door waving goodbye to an RV. “Sorry I took so long, but my grandfather needed some TLC. Who was in the RV?”

“Corrie and Edgar.”

“Wanting directions to Dallas?”

“Nope. They came in for snacks. I sold them a carton of soft drinks, two boxes of crackers, three jars of peanuts, two jelly rolls, two little pecan pies, two life-size Indians, an eagle and Vince. I made change for their traveler’s checks from the register. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? You sold more in thirty minutes than I’ve sold in a week. They bought Vince?”

“Yep.”

“But his ear is missing.”

“That makes him even more charming. An original.”

Kyle chuckled and shook his head. “I hope that you gave them a discount.”

“Certainly not. I didn’t know exactly how much the bears were since none of them had a price tag, but I charged fifty dollars more than the Indian was marked.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. Don’t worry. They can afford it, and Corrie is thrilled with her new pool and garden sculptures. And quite frankly, I think they’ll look cute in her backyard. She’ll have an excuse to have a party when she and Edgar get home, and the pieces are delightful conversation pieces. I told her exactly how they were made.”

Kyle fought back a laugh. “Do you know exactly how they’re made?”

Irish waved off his question. “They’re carved with a chain saw. I showed them your work area and improvised some on the parts I didn’t know. I told you that Corrie was thrilled.”

“What about Edgar?”

“Edgar didn’t say much, but he was fascinated with the rattler in the terrarium. He offered to buy the snake, but I figured it wasn’t for sale. Anyway, I didn’t know how much to charge or if it had been defanged.”

Kyle burst into laughter. “I’m glad you didn’t sell Sam. Pete would have a fit. The snake and the arrowheads are the bulk of his museum. And no, Sam hasn’t been defanged.”

Irish shuddered. “I’m glad that I didn’t try to fish him out. They came before I got dessert. Want to split a package of chocolate cupcakes?”

“Sure.” As Kyle watched Irish talk, he grew even more enchanted with her. Not only was she one hell of a gorgeous woman, but also she was a delight to be around. Animated, fun and totally unaffected, she was the antithesis of the Hollywood types that he had escaped. Given her years as a much photographed model, he was surprised by her down-to-earth behavior and forthright attitude. “You get the cupcakes, and I’ll fix the coffee. How do you like yours?”

“Black for me.”

In a few minutes he joined her at the table. A chocolate cupcake sat on a napkin at his place; its mate sat in front of her. “I hope you don’t mind instant,” he said. “The stuff in the pot was sludge.”

“Instant is fine.”

They ate in relative silence. When she’d finished the last bite, she licked the chocolate off her fingers and sighed. “I love junk food, especially chocolate. I had to deny myself for years. I’ve gained fifteen pounds since I left New York.”

“They’re well disguised. You seem very slender to me.”

“Thanks.” She grinned. “Want another cupcake?”

“Let’s go for it.”

She wasted no time in getting another and ripping open the package. She handed one to him and demolished the other one in a flash. After licking her fingers again, she held her mug with both hands and sipped her coffee. Her eyes glazed as she stared at a spot over his left shoulder, and a wrinkle appeared between her lovely eyebrows.