Read Online Cajun Magic 01 - Voodoo on the Bayou by Elle James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elle James
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a point. She’s jes returned from beauty school.”
“Yeah, she’s learned a trade and everytink. ‘Bout to drive mama and de girls nuts doin’ all deir hair and nails.”
Craig couldn’t get past the image of the twelve-year-old Josie. And his friend’s sister. Since he didn’t plan on a life-long commitment, he couldn’t get involved with a friend’s sister.
Mo tapped the paper in his hand. “Dat’s all we could come up wit’. You could go to another parish, but dat’d take time. Time you dôn have.”
Overwhelmed by his lack of a viable solution, Craig hopped away from Larry and Mo, dejected.
“We feel for you, man.” Larry called after him. “Can’t begin to know what you’re goin’ tru. Never been a frog before.”
“Yeah,” Mo agreed.
Craig could tell him. It stank. Almost stepped on, chewed on by a dog, less than two inches high, no way to communicate… For a man with a law degree, his future didn’t look so bright.
“Mo.” Uncle Joe’s voice carried through the screen door at the back of the bait shop.
Mo jerked his head toward the door. “Does your uncle know ‘bout de Voodoo gree gree?”
Craig nodded.
With a grin, Mo yelled, “Yo, Uncle Joe, I be out here wit’ your amphibian relative.” He pushed himself off the steps and turned toward the door.
Joe called, “Your grandmother just phoned. T-Rex is loose again, and your grandmother can’t find Fifi. You better high-tail it home or she’ll make handbags and luggage out of that ‘gator.”
“C’mon, Larry. Craig’ll figure dis mess out. He’s de one with all de diplomas. Need you to distract Rex while I sneak up from behind.”
“Why am I always de distraction?” Larry groused. “Dat’s jes a fancy way of sayin’ I be de bait for dat darn fool ‘gator.”
“Yep, but he likes de way you taste better’n me. We better hurry afore he makes a snack out of Mamere’s poodle.”
Craig tried to laugh at the hulk of a human worrying about his grandmother’s toy poodle, but all he could do was croak.
“Yeah, Craig, we know,” Mo reached out a hand to haul Larry to his feet. “You dôn have to thank us for all our suggestions. Just get to work on followin’ tru.”
“I’ll tell my sister you’ll be callin’. Dat’ll have de entire house in an uproar. Give dem somethin’ to do besides gripe about Josie’s beauty supplies all over de bathroom.”
“C’mon, Larry,” Mo said. “Good luck, Craig.”
“Yeah, and watch out for snakes and ‘gators. You ain’t much of anythin’ right now.” Larry waved a hand, and the two hurried off in the direction of Mo’s house where he lived with his gray-haired grandmother.
Craig gave a frog version of a sigh.
Thirty-three-year-old Mo still lived with his mother’s mother. The old woman was a hoot. She’d shared her moonshine and weed with them when they were hormonal teenagers full of themselves and bent on trouble. Craig knew Mo thought the world of his grandmother and woe be upon the person who upset her.
But Larry’s departing words sank deep. He wasn’t much of anything. The simple phrase struck too close to home. How true it was. Not only in size, but also in direction.
When was the last time he’d done something he could feel proud of? Mo took care of his grandmother. Larry, for all his complaints about his eight sisters, loved each and every one of them. He wouldn’t have offered to fix Craig up with Josie if he didn’t think highly of Craig.
Larry’s was a gesture of trust and faith in Craig to do the right thing. Only problem, Craig wasn’t looking for a commitment along with the love he had to find in some poor unsuspecting woman. He wanted her to fall for him, declare her love, break the spell, and he’d be on his way, a whole man—minus the heartbroken woman.
Jeez. It sounded heartless, even to him.
“Craig, I gotta service a few engines out on the dock. You’re welcome to come with me.” Uncle Joe paused on the steps. “Nah,
“Yeah, she’s learned a trade and everytink. ‘Bout to drive mama and de girls nuts doin’ all deir hair and nails.”
Craig couldn’t get past the image of the twelve-year-old Josie. And his friend’s sister. Since he didn’t plan on a life-long commitment, he couldn’t get involved with a friend’s sister.
Mo tapped the paper in his hand. “Dat’s all we could come up wit’. You could go to another parish, but dat’d take time. Time you dôn have.”
Overwhelmed by his lack of a viable solution, Craig hopped away from Larry and Mo, dejected.
“We feel for you, man.” Larry called after him. “Can’t begin to know what you’re goin’ tru. Never been a frog before.”
“Yeah,” Mo agreed.
Craig could tell him. It stank. Almost stepped on, chewed on by a dog, less than two inches high, no way to communicate… For a man with a law degree, his future didn’t look so bright.
“Mo.” Uncle Joe’s voice carried through the screen door at the back of the bait shop.
Mo jerked his head toward the door. “Does your uncle know ‘bout de Voodoo gree gree?”
Craig nodded.
With a grin, Mo yelled, “Yo, Uncle Joe, I be out here wit’ your amphibian relative.” He pushed himself off the steps and turned toward the door.
Joe called, “Your grandmother just phoned. T-Rex is loose again, and your grandmother can’t find Fifi. You better high-tail it home or she’ll make handbags and luggage out of that ‘gator.”
“C’mon, Larry. Craig’ll figure dis mess out. He’s de one with all de diplomas. Need you to distract Rex while I sneak up from behind.”
“Why am I always de distraction?” Larry groused. “Dat’s jes a fancy way of sayin’ I be de bait for dat darn fool ‘gator.”
“Yep, but he likes de way you taste better’n me. We better hurry afore he makes a snack out of Mamere’s poodle.”
Craig tried to laugh at the hulk of a human worrying about his grandmother’s toy poodle, but all he could do was croak.
“Yeah, Craig, we know,” Mo reached out a hand to haul Larry to his feet. “You dôn have to thank us for all our suggestions. Just get to work on followin’ tru.”
“I’ll tell my sister you’ll be callin’. Dat’ll have de entire house in an uproar. Give dem somethin’ to do besides gripe about Josie’s beauty supplies all over de bathroom.”
“C’mon, Larry,” Mo said. “Good luck, Craig.”
“Yeah, and watch out for snakes and ‘gators. You ain’t much of anythin’ right now.” Larry waved a hand, and the two hurried off in the direction of Mo’s house where he lived with his gray-haired grandmother.
Craig gave a frog version of a sigh.
Thirty-three-year-old Mo still lived with his mother’s mother. The old woman was a hoot. She’d shared her moonshine and weed with them when they were hormonal teenagers full of themselves and bent on trouble. Craig knew Mo thought the world of his grandmother and woe be upon the person who upset her.
But Larry’s departing words sank deep. He wasn’t much of anything. The simple phrase struck too close to home. How true it was. Not only in size, but also in direction.
When was the last time he’d done something he could feel proud of? Mo took care of his grandmother. Larry, for all his complaints about his eight sisters, loved each and every one of them. He wouldn’t have offered to fix Craig up with Josie if he didn’t think highly of Craig.
Larry’s was a gesture of trust and faith in Craig to do the right thing. Only problem, Craig wasn’t looking for a commitment along with the love he had to find in some poor unsuspecting woman. He wanted her to fall for him, declare her love, break the spell, and he’d be on his way, a whole man—minus the heartbroken woman.
Jeez. It sounded heartless, even to him.
“Craig, I gotta service a few engines out on the dock. You’re welcome to come with me.” Uncle Joe paused on the steps. “Nah,
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