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Those two are something else.
Then I felt it again, the intensity of his eyes, searing my skin from fifteen feet away. Family members like him could be dangerous and bad for business. They often singled you out over lukewarm tuna casserole and asked too many questions.
I took the opportunity to shake my head and release a ragged breath just in time for the preacher to begin his service.
* * *
Once the crowd had dissipated,I stepped from the hiding place in my car and glanced around to be sure I was alone. Cursing myself for having to wear high heels at the funeral service when I knew flats were a better choice, I walked across the grass on my tiptoes, trying to prevent the heels from sinking into the soft earth. An impulse purchase of sexy new shoes with a delicate leather bow on the back meant the blister I was sporting was fresh and the flats I’d planned were totally out of the question.
Rookie move.
Steadying myself, I continued to trudge toward the area where they’d laid Mr. Bowlegs to rest while the preacher gave a truly moving service.
Bowlegs—well, that was a first.
Outtatowner had more quirks than I thought possible, but my favorite was the fact that many of the townies had special nicknames. Tootie informed me some were random, most were inappropriate, and once you’d been given one, it was damn near impossible to shake it.
I passed a groundskeeper who was working to stack and remove chairs. He scooped the hat from his head and nodded before slipping away to give me a bit of privacy.
I stood, peering down at the simple casket nestled in the earth. As it often did, a swell of emotion gathered in my chest as I cleared my throat.
I whispered down to him. “Thank you, Mr. Bowlegs, for the honor of attending your services. I hope that I provided your family with peace and comfort.”
Reaching into the pocket of my skirt, I pulled out my phone. The music was queued up, and I glanced at it again.
God, I hope Bug wasn’t playing a joke on me.
Shaking my head, I pushed play and closed my eyes. The thumping chords of “Another One Bites the Dust” began flowing from the tiny speaker. An odd choice, but I pressed my lips together to keep the bubble of giggles that threatened to rise from bursting.
My finger pressed the volume louder as my left hand tapped my thigh to the beat. You couldn’t deny that the song was a banger, and I smiled, hoping Bowlegs also had a sense of humor.
As I began to hum and mumble the words I knew, I sent my thoughts of love to Bowlegs.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me.”
The sharp, deep rumble from behind startled me, and I flailed my arms as my heart leaped into my throat. In an instant, my heel was slipping, and the ground was no longer beneath me. With a crack, my feet hit something solid, one high heel snapping underneath me. My nails raked down freshly shoveled earth as realization dawned on me.
“Oh god. Oh no! Oh my god!”
“What the fuck?” The voice was above me now, sharp and angry.
Panic skittered under my skin as I took in my darkened surroundings.
In the hole. I am in the fucking hole.
“Help! Please help me!” Glancing around, I realized I was standing in the tight space beside the casket. My phone was in the dirt, Queen still wailing from the speaker, so I scooped it up and frantically pressed at the screen until Freddie Mercury shut the hell up.
I slipped the phone into my pocket and gently placed my hand on top of the casket. “I am so sorry. Shit! I’m sorry!”
I looked up again to see nothing but crisp blue sky painted with streaks of pink from the afternoon sun. “Help! Anyone? Hello? Help me!”
There was no getting out, and it didn’t seem like there was anyone up top willing to help me, so I placed my hand on top of Bowlegs’s casket and apologized again before stepping on top. My knees stung from tiny scrapes, and my skirt was filthy from the fall. Using the leverage from standing on the casket, I wrestled myself to the surface.
As I was flat on my belly and wiggling myself out of the burial site, my eyes focused on a pair of shiny black leather shoes. I craned my neck up to see the scowl deepen and the gorgeous man from yesterday huff a breath as he crossed his arms.
“A little help here?” I grunted as I continued to pull myself out of the hole.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He offered zero assistance.
