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The amusement and arousal on Cash’s face was replaced by a wave of anger that bordered on rage. “My father grabs your ass? How the fuck long has this been going on?”
Reese took a step back, putting more distance between them. The switch in his attitude caused a shiver to run through her body. He was yelling, but she knew his anger wasn’t directed at her. “You need to leave,” she said with more confidence than she felt.
“In a minute,” Cash stepped toward her. “You are going to tell me about this ass-grabbing shit, and then we are going to talk about that car.”
“I don’t think so,” Reese shook her head and took another step back. “You are going to leave and stay on your side of the street. If not, I will have to file a complaint with the police.”
“Woman, I can’t fix it if I don’t know what the hell I am fixing,” Cash growled, snagging both of her wrists with one of his big work beaten hands.
She clenched her thighs together as images of those hands running over her body assaulted her. Shaking her head, attempting to clear her wayward thoughts, she tried to tug her wrists out of his grasp. She had been too long without, she rationalized. It was the only explanation to her body’s reaction to the man who could not seem to understand basic English standing in front of her. Seven years was a long time, but it was probably closer to eight, if she was honest. Of course, it had nothing to do with the big hot oaf in front of her, searing her skin where it touched his. He was the son of the guy she punched this morning. Their genetics couldn’t be that far off, could they?
“Hey,” Cash tugged her arms, gently snapping her back to reality. “There you are, Beautiful. I have all day to wait for you to tell me.”
“You need to go,” Reese told him.
“I will go, but if you don’t tell me what happened, the first person I am going to talk to is my old man. I promise you I will be back after I do. Then we can talk about the car.”
“We have nothing to talk about right now or later. My life is none of your business. You can stay on your side of the street, and I will stay on mine. Now, Mr. Jacobs, I want you to leave before I call the police.”
Reese succeeded in freeing her wrists, or he let them go. Either way, he was no longer touching her. Turning quickly, she practically ran from the little garage. His laugh followed behind her, along with a promise to return later. Reese hurried into the house, locking the door behind her. In the kitchen, she found two curiously amused faces waiting for her in the kitchen.
“Shit,” Reese muttered under her breath. Life was about to get more interesting.
“Is Cash coming back?” Mav asked hopefully.
“I don’t think I am lucky enough for him not to be coming back,” Reese deadpanned.
“So, girlie, got yourself a new neighbor, huh?” Pappy’s sparkling banter was out on full display.
“Don’t you have dementia or something?” She shot back at him.
“Mom,” Mav looked between her and Pappy with worried eyes.
“No, son. It’s alright. I might have told a little fib about that, and your mother had to come to bail me out today,” Pappy reassured him.
“He and I say things that we don’t really mean. We are just teasing each other.” Reese explained. She hugged Mav for as long as he would let her. When he squirmed away, she sighed at the loss. “Well, family, we have a lot to discuss. I am going to make some lunch, and then we can start working some of this crap out.”
Reese pulled a loaf of bread from on top of the fridge before digging out the peanut butter and then the jelly. After making each of them a plate, she took her seat at the table.
“Reese, girlie, this is the best homemade bread I have had since your grandma passed on. And this strawberry jam is every bit as good as hers was.”
“Thanks, Pappy,” Reese’s heart swelled at the compliments. Her grandmother had been the best cook around. Anyone who garnered an invitation to dinner left with a full belly and a smile on their face. Setting a cup of coffee in front of him and one for herself, she settled in to start their discussion. “Alright, who wants to go first?”
“Not it,” Mav said quickly.
“Wow, son, way to step up,” Oliver chided.
“You first, since I had to haul your behind out of the police station this morning,” Reese quickly made the decision.
Twenty minutes later, Reese’s heart was breaking. The hurt on Mav’s face told her that his was too.
“That’s it, girlie. I can help pay bills with my social security checks, but I have nothing else. My retirement fund and everything else is gone.”
Once again, her family was screwing each other over. Reese’s grandparents had five kids, one girl and four boys. One son died serving his country. One son was currently serving time in a cell. The other two could only be bothered if there was something in it for them. Needless to say, they weren’t around much since grandma’s medical bills just about wiped-out Pappy’s savings account. Their daughter was on husband number seven, living out her dream in a hippie commune as Star Dust. In her defense, she did marry some of them twice. How Star Dust came about was still anyone’s guess.
“We will figure it out,” Reese assured him.
Her father sold the house out from under him, moving him into an apartment building. Since the apartment came fully furnished, they sold most of his possessions as well. Reese had the sneaking suspicion the two suitcases he showed up with were all that was left of his worldly possessions. The keepsakes from his life with grandma, mementos from his wilder youth, and cherished but worthless to anyone but him possessions were gone.
