a gold-digger-- had cooled his emotions
and desire for the beautiful woman. She left him for a sugar daddy
three months ago, and word in town was that the sugar daddy wasn't
as rich as she thought Jake's uncle was, which was why she was
back.
“Haven’t seen you in awhile,” she said.
“Missed that cute smile of yours.”
Her honeyed voice agitated him, brought up
both the memories of steamy nights and the realization of his own
ignorance of her true personality.
Javier's instinct had known what she was the
whole time. Jake still owed his uncle for advising him not to marry
the woman when he'd considered proposing a year before she left
him.
You think too well of her, son.
As always, Javier was right.
“Been busy,” Jake said, and wolfed down the
sandwich.
“I’m in town for a few days. Saturday still
tequila night?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t I join you tonight?”
“Free country.”
Lily appeared satisfied by his response. Jake
glanced at her from the corner of his eye, part of him wondering if
he dared go drinking with the woman. Their nights of drinking had
always led to one thing: bed. His anger was still hot, but as he
had learned the hard way, Lily was always up for a one-night stand.
After three dry months, Jake wondered if a one-night stand with the
deceptive woman might settle his anger and his restless
hormones.
He finished eating and rose without another
word. Toni and Eric remained, Eric flirting shamelessly with all
three women. Jake looked back once to see Lily’s hand on Eric’s
thigh and decided even if he needed to get laid, she would not be
the one he chose to sleep with. Of course, drinking always had a
way of lowering his standards. He didn't want to skip tequila night
but suspected he wouldn't go home alone if he went.
Irritated, he set out stacking stones with
renewed energy.
* * *
Madeleine was in a foul mood when she
returned to the site. An argument with Nigel, plea bargains with
the finance department to extend her funding, and a waste of two
hours at the police station all ate at her patience. While the
finance department was considering a partial extension of funding
in exchange for a full audit, Nigel had threatened to cut it
already.
Nigel’s verbal instructions regarding the
third change of the blueprints baffled her. He refused to send the
blueprints but expected the changes to be incorporated for Mr.
Howard’s visit, uttering excuses ranging from their final drafting
status to the lack of time in his schedule to help her. To make
matters worse, Eric was refusing to answer his phone, and she
needed his help in working through several of the funding and
building kinks.
The hamburger and fries she fed Duke during a
quick stop to eat gave the panting dog horrible gas. Madeleine left
the windows of the car down and grabbed her briefcase. Duke climbed
out the window and loped ahead. She stopped to orient herself,
staring at the office. It was not where she left it, unless she
parked elsewhere. She looked back at the common parking lot.
Unwilling to waste time on the moved office, she made her way to
the trailer. Duke launched himself onto a couch.
Madeleine glanced at him as she dropped her
briefcase and papers on the desk.
The trailer smelled as bad as the dog.
Agitated and hot, she dialed Eric’s number again. He didn't answer.
No one had been in the trailer for awhile; the AC was out and the
generator silent. She left the office to refill and start the
generator.
Her own lunch was cold. She popped it in the
microwave and sat, pulling out a newspaper she'd picked up in town.
The microwave dinged, and she withdrew her soggy hamburger and
fries, eating quickly as she read.
Five bodies found in
desert; linked to Cortez-Perez fight for drug corridor. She scanned the article, surprised to find what
Jake said was true: there were drug trafficking gangs in the area.
The article included a small map illustrating the route the thugs
used.
The Desert Oasis
and desire for the beautiful woman. She left him for a sugar daddy
three months ago, and word in town was that the sugar daddy wasn't
as rich as she thought Jake's uncle was, which was why she was
back.
“Haven’t seen you in awhile,” she said.
“Missed that cute smile of yours.”
Her honeyed voice agitated him, brought up
both the memories of steamy nights and the realization of his own
ignorance of her true personality.
Javier's instinct had known what she was the
whole time. Jake still owed his uncle for advising him not to marry
the woman when he'd considered proposing a year before she left
him.
You think too well of her, son.
As always, Javier was right.
“Been busy,” Jake said, and wolfed down the
sandwich.
“I’m in town for a few days. Saturday still
tequila night?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t I join you tonight?”
“Free country.”
Lily appeared satisfied by his response. Jake
glanced at her from the corner of his eye, part of him wondering if
he dared go drinking with the woman. Their nights of drinking had
always led to one thing: bed. His anger was still hot, but as he
had learned the hard way, Lily was always up for a one-night stand.
After three dry months, Jake wondered if a one-night stand with the
deceptive woman might settle his anger and his restless
hormones.
He finished eating and rose without another
word. Toni and Eric remained, Eric flirting shamelessly with all
three women. Jake looked back once to see Lily’s hand on Eric’s
thigh and decided even if he needed to get laid, she would not be
the one he chose to sleep with. Of course, drinking always had a
way of lowering his standards. He didn't want to skip tequila night
but suspected he wouldn't go home alone if he went.
Irritated, he set out stacking stones with
renewed energy.
* * *
Madeleine was in a foul mood when she
returned to the site. An argument with Nigel, plea bargains with
the finance department to extend her funding, and a waste of two
hours at the police station all ate at her patience. While the
finance department was considering a partial extension of funding
in exchange for a full audit, Nigel had threatened to cut it
already.
Nigel’s verbal instructions regarding the
third change of the blueprints baffled her. He refused to send the
blueprints but expected the changes to be incorporated for Mr.
Howard’s visit, uttering excuses ranging from their final drafting
status to the lack of time in his schedule to help her. To make
matters worse, Eric was refusing to answer his phone, and she
needed his help in working through several of the funding and
building kinks.
The hamburger and fries she fed Duke during a
quick stop to eat gave the panting dog horrible gas. Madeleine left
the windows of the car down and grabbed her briefcase. Duke climbed
out the window and loped ahead. She stopped to orient herself,
staring at the office. It was not where she left it, unless she
parked elsewhere. She looked back at the common parking lot.
Unwilling to waste time on the moved office, she made her way to
the trailer. Duke launched himself onto a couch.
Madeleine glanced at him as she dropped her
briefcase and papers on the desk.
The trailer smelled as bad as the dog.
Agitated and hot, she dialed Eric’s number again. He didn't answer.
No one had been in the trailer for awhile; the AC was out and the
generator silent. She left the office to refill and start the
generator.
Her own lunch was cold. She popped it in the
microwave and sat, pulling out a newspaper she'd picked up in town.
The microwave dinged, and she withdrew her soggy hamburger and
fries, eating quickly as she read.
Five bodies found in
desert; linked to Cortez-Perez fight for drug corridor. She scanned the article, surprised to find what
Jake said was true: there were drug trafficking gangs in the area.
The article included a small map illustrating the route the thugs
used.
The Desert Oasis
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