Dave lifted his brows. “You think she might?”
“I know Izzy’s lived through a lot more than losing her mother and having a creepy ex-boyfriend. She hasn’t told me yet what that is, but you’re right. She wears it like a brand. So my guess is, she can live through a bunch of gossips in town intent on the romance of the decade playing out as they’d always hoped and Johnny and Shandra riding into the sunset. But the only person in my sunset right now is Izzy. If she’s under my care, I’ll make it so she doesn’t give a fuck either.”
“No offense but a son walks in his father’s footsteps,” Dave said.
“No offense taken, Dave, but sometimes that son watches instead then looks before he steps to make sure he doesn’t walk the wrong path.”
Dave nodded. “Gotta say, as much as it cut to lose him, I was glad he didn’t have to watch you lose Shandra. Now it hurts, knowing he’s not gonna see you get to the other side, finding Izzy.”
Johnny looked to the meat and grunted the understatement of the century, “Yeah. That cuts.”
“He would have liked her,” Dave said softly.
Johnny again turned eyes to him. “A person would have to be insane not to like her.”
Dave smiled.
“It’s getting close, Dave. Can you make sure the women are topped up on wine?” Johnny asked.
“Do that right now, son,” Dave replied.
He loped to the stairs and down them.
Johnny watched.
Then he shifted the chicken that was done to the top shelf and put on the steaks.
Margot, Dave and Addie were in the chairs back up on the deck.
Brooks was asleep in the middle of Johnny’s bed, surrounded by pillows.
And Johnny was on his ass on Izzy’s blanket. She was between his legs, resting her back against his chest. He had one arm around her, one hand up in both of hers and she was playing with it. The water wheel was splashing water gently not too far away and Ranger was lying on the blanket on one side, Swirl at their feet, Dempsey on their other side.
The man Margot raised knew he was being a bad host when most of his guests were up at the house and he was not.
Izzy right there, playing with his hand, Johnny didn’t give a shit.
Though he figured, Izzy and him right there, the rest of them didn’t give a shit either.
“Got plans next weekend, sp?tzchen?” he asked.
“I’m getting a horse to stable,” she answered.
“Shit,” he muttered.
He’d forgotten.
She wrapped the fingers of one of her hands around his and put them to her chest, turning slightly in his hold to look up at him.
“Why?”
“We missed a date to go camping.”
She’d been relaxed, wine, food, pie, good company.
Still, he felt her ease further into him.
“Yes,” she said softly.
“Take Mist back weekend after next, sometime in the morning. About twenty miles farther, there’s a great camping and fishing spot. We’ll drop Mist off and head out.”
She put her free hand to his chest and slid it up to rest it under his throat. “That sounds awesome.”
“You cool with hitting Home to have a few drinks with me after you have dinner with your sister tomorrow night?” he asked.
She nodded.
Johnny drew her up, slanted his head and bent his neck to kiss her lightly.
When he was done he didn’t go very far away when she asked, “Wanna come over for dinner one night next week?”
“Absolutely.”
He caught her smile in the waning light.
“Today was great, Johnny,” she told him.
Started out spectacular and it was arguable, but he’d argue it only got better.
“Yeah.”
“You have a way with meat,” she said.
He chuckled.
“Well, you do,” she affirmed.
“I’m a man raised by Margot, baby. I’m trying not to be crass.”
It dawned on her and she mumbled, “Oh.”
He pulled her up farther and gave her another light kiss.
Then he settled her back down, turning her so her back was fully to his chest again and he wrapped both arms around her.
“We’re probably gonna have to go soon.” She said it like she didn’t want to say it.
“Yeah.” He said that like he didn’t want to say it either.
“How’s Wednesday for dinner?” she asked.
“Works for me,” he answered.
She fell silent.
Johnny held her to his chest.
Into the peace, she said hesitantly, “You haven’t asked.”
“What?”
It took her a moment to say, “Nothing.”
He gave her a squeeze and reminded her, “Babe, we talked about this this morning.”
She didn’t reply.
“Iz, I haven’t asked what?” he pushed.
“About sex.”
“What?”
“Drinks at Home and dinner at my place and, well . . . you haven’t asked where we’ll fit in sex.”
And again, Johnny fought against getting pissed.
“You can take it as given I want that from you whenever we find our shot, Eliza. But since it seems I haven’t made it clear yet, I’ll do that now. That’s not all I want from you.”
“Okeydokey,” she replied quickly.
They fell silent again while Johnny continued to try not to be pissed.
“Uh . . . Johnny?”
“Yeah,” he grunted.
“So, um . . . well, just to say, I’d like to know when we’re gonna fit in sex.”
For a second, he went still.
Then he busted out laughing.
She turned in his arms, pushed up and looked in his eyes.
“That isn’t an answer,” she declared.
Johnny kept laughing.
She started to pull away.
He pulled her back and gave her an answer.
“After drinks, we’ll come back to my place and I’ll fuck you stupid. And after dinner at your place, I’ll spend the night and we’ll be quiet.”
She glared at him through the twilight.
“We got a plan?” he asked, trying not to sound like he was still amused but not succeeding.
“We have a plan,” she answered, not trying not to sound like she was annoyed.
“Now I need to take you up to the house before I take you into the woods and fuck you stupid there.”
She didn’t sound annoyed, she sounded back to disappointed when she said, “’Kay.”
Johnny gave her another kiss. He let that one linger. Then he brought them both to their feet, nabbed the blanket and walked her up to the deck with all three of their dogs trailing.
After a day like that day, goodbyes between all of them lingered too. But Brooks being asleep meant they eventually had to end, which meant with nothing but a peck on the lips, Johnny had to stand with Ranger sitting by his side and watch Izzy drive away.
When he lost sight of their taillights, he looked down at his dog.
Ranger looked up and tilted his head to the side.
“You like her, boy?” he asked.
Ranger got up on all fours, wagged his tail and licked Johnny’s hand.
“Yeah, me too.”
He slapped his thigh and moved to and up the stairs with his dog at his side.
They entered his house. Johnny got a beer, got his book and read with his dog lying at the foot of his chair until it was time to hit the sack.
He did that and he didn’t jack his junk thinking of Izzy.
Because he’d have the real thing tomorrow night.
Motor Oil and Kitten Fur
Izzy