“Now, Barbara, don’t get yourself all worked up.” Lenny patted her arm, concern written across his face. “Just talking is all. Jack isn’t Gillian Rebecca’s type.”
“Goodness, I hope not.” Barbara reached over and squeezed Jack’s hand. Her long nails dragged across his palm.
Suppressing the shudder of revulsion, Jack pulled his hand away and stood. “Thank you for your input, Barbara, I have to run. I promised Luke I’d help him with some lumber.”
“What’s Luke doing these days?” Lenny asked.
“Getting ready to take his new counterpart up north. You know him, if he can’t have what he wants, he throws himself into his work.”
“Just hope this partner is more tolerant.”
“Man won’t even know.” Jack pulled on his coat. “See you around, Lenny. Nice seeing you again, Barbara.” He swallowed, his throat burning with the scald of bile.
How can a woman be so cruel and unforgiving to her own child? What sort of woman is Barbara she’d turn on Gillian such as she has? Jack didn’t like the answer flashing in his head.
Jack tapped impatiently on the steering wheel as he drove across town. Irritation raked through him at the callousness of Gillian’s mother. Granted, the woman seemed attractive, but her tone, her manner toward her daughter irked him. There was no excuse for the cold-hearted attitude, none. His parents had both been loving and generous, parents he could be proud of. Briefly he debated calling his mom, talking to her, but discarded the idea. Better she met Gillian first, and then he’d see how it went.
“Hey, you’re early,” Luke called out, his dark hair disheveled, shirt askew as he pounded down the steps of his small, two-bedroom house.
“Yeah, well, needed to get away from the bitchfest happening.” Jack slammed the truck door. “You met the new kid on the block? What’s his name? What’s he like? You think he’s going to be okay to work with?”
“Yeah, he’s a real dish.” Luke chuckled. “Wouldn’t mind sharing my sleeping bag with him, but he’s straight as an arrow.”
“Too bad, man, it would have been a helluva ride, or so you tell me.” Jack chuckled at Luke’s joking. The camaraderie had come easy to them, and he was glad of it. If there was one thing he hated, it was dealing with tension among those who didn’t approve of Luke’s lifestyle.
“How ’bout you? Your sheets getting any action?”
Instantly, his mind filled with images of Gillian spread out over the bed, her hair a tangled mess around a flushed face. Breasts heaving, thighs trembling with need. Her sweetness on his lips. Breathless little whimpers and gasps echoed in his head.
“They must be for you to look like that. So tell me all about her.”
Jack felt a wave of heat crawl up his face. Luke had met more than one of his “dates” and hadn’t liked any of them. “She’s different. Sexy but in a much simpler fashion. I met her at Lenny’s wedding.”
“She any good?”
His jaw ached at the sudden grinding of his teeth as he narrowed his eyes at his friend. “Gilli isn’t like that, she’s different. I like her. I’m not an animal, you know. It’s not right for everyone to launch into speculation of her sexual prowess like it was the fucking Olympics or something.”
“Whoa, hold on there, bro, just asking.” Shock slid onto his face and Luke tilted his head. “Though I have to say it looks good on you.”
“What does?”
“This chivalry. I’ve never seen you so determined to protect the reputation of one of your women. It’s rather refreshing. Shows there’s a heart beating in your chest. So she’s not some bimbo you take home for the night, huh? Good. Come on, enough about this, I need to get this lumber loaded. Sean’s supposed to be here in an hour and then we’re heading for Station two seventy. As long as something doesn’t come up.”
“Sean? That’s your new partner?”
“Yep.”
“How long you going to be stationed there this time?”
“Six weeks to start. Maybe longer, depending on the fire season. Sean’s a conservation officer so he gets to watch the wildlife. I’m hoping for a slow season. It’s nice to be busy, but I’d like a chance to watch some wildlife of my own, if you know what I mean.”
Jack laughed softly. “Where’s the lumber? Sure hope you’re not building the cabin, you’ll both freeze before the first snow flies.”
“Smart ass.” Luke draped an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you set up with the lumber. Then you can tell me all about the wedding. I so wish I could have attended, but someone had to work.”
“You didn’t miss much,” Jack admitted as he followed Luke to the rear of the house. “But the bride’s gown was stunning. Almost as stunning as her bridesmaid. Of course the purple and yellow made her look like a giant Easter egg.”
“Purple and yellow? What was she trying to do? Those colors should never be used together. They’re both nice—but not together.”
“Lumber, Luke. Lumber.” Jack nudged his friend before he could start on about the benefits of color coordination.
Chapter 8
Gillian glanced out the front window for the third time in as many minutes. Her stomach threatened to revolt with each tick of the second hand on the clock. She smoothed her palms over the slacks she’d picked out and lifted the curtain again. “Where is he? Maybe he decided not to bother.” Fear and hope mingled. It would be nice if he’d decided against coming. Nice, but safe and boring.
The shrill ring of the phone startled her. She turned to look at the call display and groaned. She bit a nail and debated answering it for a second before shaking her head. “Damn woman, what does she want? Hello, Mother.” Icy, her tone brooked little argument.
“Good, you’re home. I wasn’t certain if you’d gone in to
