illuminating the narrow road Owen McCall had cut through heavy timber so he could build his place by the lake. Jesus, he had a spread, bordering national parkland on one side. Probably the biggest privately owned piece of property in northern Michigan. Bill wondered if this kid sitting next to him had any clue how rich he was.
Luke said, “My top five are Aliens, Terminator, Fargo, Rocky, and My Fair Lady.”
“What’d you say?”
Luke said, “I was kidding about My Fair Lady.”
“Geez, I hope so. I was thinking you went gay on me.”
“ Pulp Fiction was my fifth favorite,” Luke said.
“That’s better.”
“What about you?”
Bill was thinking Full Metal Jacket, Rambo, Above the Law with Seagal; he also liked Rocky and The Rock, the one set on Alcatraz. That had some good action scenes. They came through the woods and pulled into the yard. There was a car parked in the circular drive, a Lexus. He glanced at Luke. “You got company?”
“It’s Jack,” Luke said.
“Who’s Jack?”
“An old friend of my mom’s.”
“He staying with you?”
“I don’t know,” Luke said.
Bill didn’t like it. He thought he’d been getting somewhere with Kate. And now this old friend shows up.
Luke took off the vest and said, “Thanks, it was a blast.” Got out and closed the door.
Bill couldn’t remember if he said good-bye to Luke or not, his brain was so clouded at the moment. Jesus, she trusted him enough to call up and ask for him personally. And he saw the look on her face the other day when she showed up at the lodge. He’d had his share of relationships. Knew women and there was something there, he was sure of it. He was going to ask her out to dinner, take her to Windows on the Bay-have a gourmet meal and a good bottle of wine. Get to know each other.
Maybe the guy was just a friend, as Luke said, but Bill doubted it. Kate was too good-looking and rich. He’d have to give this one some serious thought.
SEVENTEEN
Luke woke up to Leon licking his face. He pushed him away. “God, Leon.” Wiped Leon’s slobber on the bedsheet and looked at the clock. It was early, 7:15. Luke got up, went downstairs, opened the front door and let Leon out. He saw Jack’s car still parked in the same place and was surprised. His mom said he was staying at a motel in Northport. He didn’t mind Jack showing up if it made his mom happy but didn’t like the idea of him staying over. They were on the couch watching TV when he got home, not even sitting close together.
He heard Leon bark, opened the door and let him in. He went upstairs and checked the other bedrooms-they were both empty. He went to his mom’s room, tried the handle. It was locked. Now he was pissed. He couldn’t believe she’d get together with somebody like this. He felt guilty ’cause his dad wasn’t there, and it made him angry.
Luke walked back down the hall to his room, Leon trailing him, took a shower and got dressed. When he went downstairs again his mom was in the kitchen making breakfast, a whisk in her hand, arm wrapped around a mixing bowl. He could smell bacon cooking. Leon was sitting on the kitchen floor, staring at the skillet on the stovetop, bacon grease popping.
“Morning,” she said. “How was last night, did you have fun?”
He sat at the table his mom once told him came from Normandy, bleached wood with a drawer at one end. “Looks like you had more fun than I did.”
She stopped moving the whisk and gave him a quizzical look.
“What does that mean?”
“Where’s Jack? He still up there sleeping?”
Kate said, “What’re you talking about?”
“I can’t believe you’d have him over. Don’t you care about Dad anymore?” He was angry, couldn’t hold back.
His mom looked stunned. “Of course I do. I don’t know what you think happened, but you’re wrong.”
“Where is he, then?”
“I don’t know,” Kate said. “Maybe he’s out taking a walk.”
She put the bowl down and stared at him, then moved to the stovetop. He could see her flipping slices of bacon in the big cast-iron skillet. She made pancakes and piled them on a platter with the bacon and brought it to the table. Leon came over and sat next to Luke, looking up at the food.
She pushed the platter toward him. “Eat something.”
He could feel the anger building in him, like it was under pressure, like he was about explode.
“What’re you going to do today?”
He stared at the table, couldn’t look at her.
His mom said, “Want to hang out? We could have lunch at the Bluebird.”
He couldn’t sit there any longer. Got up and walked past her out of the breakfast room.
His mom said, “Where’re you going? Talk to me, will you?”
He moved through the lodge to the back door, put on his fleece jacket and a pair boots and went outside. It was cold. He could see his breath as he moved toward the woods.
Teddy smelled bacon cooking and it made him hungry. Could he ever go for a couple eggs sunny-side up, sausage and gravy and grits-with syrup over the top.
He could see Jack’s car still parked in the yard. Spent the night but not with the lady. Maybe he was losing his charm. He watched her get out of bed and stretch her arms over her head and yawn. He watched her set on the toilet, do her business. He watched her look at herself in the mirror and brush her teeth. No bath this morning and Teddy had to admit he was disappointed.
He heard a door bang closed and saw the kid come out the back of the cabin, moving with purpose toward the tree line, then into the woods and not a minute later the kid was standing right below him. Teddy thinking this was the moment of truth. If the kid turned and looked up, their whole plan could come unglued in a split second. But he didn’t and Teddy watched him head deeper into the woods and he took out his cell phone, dialed a number and said, “Let’s do it.”
Kate heard the front door open and close and Jack came in the kitchen, rubbing his hands like he was cold. “Sure smells good in here.”
He took off his jacket and folded it over a chair and sat across from her.
She said, “Where you been?”
“Out in the woods,” Jack said. “I saw a deer.” He sounded excited.
“How about coffee and some breakfast?”
He said, “I like this laid-back up-north life. I could get used to this.”
She got up and poured him a cup and made pancakes and put them on a plate with three slices of bacon and handed it to him. She was worried about what she was going to say to him and decided to just say it. “Listen, I’ve got a problem with Luke. Probably be a good idea if you gave us a little time alone.”
He didn’t react. It either bothered him or it didn’t. She couldn’t tell. He kept his eyes on her and said, “I understand.”
Now, in retrospect, she realized she should’ve been smarter, more aware. Luke was hurting and vulnerable, and having Jack overnight was probably the dumbest thing she could’ve done under the circumstances. Nothing happened, in spite of Jack’s persistent attempts to kiss her. He finally got the message and gave up and when the movie was over-they watched One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest — it was late, and Kate said, “Do you really have a motel room down the road?”
